Eid al-Adha, the festival commemorating the supreme sacrifice of Prophet Ibraheem and promoting the spirit of living and dying for love of God, is once again at our doorsteps. Synchronised with it, more than 30 lakh believing men and women are in and around Masjid-e-Haram performing the prescribed rituals of annual Hajj. In this way the end of the Islamic year is a unique occasion for Muslims to renovate Islamic spirit and prepare to rededicate themselves to Islamic life.
Prophet Ibraheem holds a place of pride among the messengers of God because of his life which was spent fully in service of God. Three prominent qualities distinguish him as a great servant and prophet of God: firm faith, full submission and spirit of sacrificing all to win the pleasure of Allah.
At the early stage of his youth, going against the prevailing trends of the age, he recognised the tawheed of God, which was later confirmed by the light of revelation he received from Allah. From this point his whole life was a shining story of calling the people of the world towards their Lord, the Lord of the world and the Lord of the universe. In this path he had to face mountains of difficulties which he confronted with utmost courage and determination. He was ousted from his home, thrown into fire and had to leave his country of birth for ever. He spent his entire life roaming in different lands and announcing and propagating the message of worship of and submission to God alone. When Allah so willed he left his wife Hajira and his first born young son in the desert spot of Bakkah, which eventually had to become the city of Makkah. Hajira dutifully obeyed the will of Allah and was miraculously saved being provided with the water of Zamzam. Then came the final call to Ibraheem for the supreme sacrifice of his son Ismail who was given to him at the old age of 86 years. This instruction to sacrifice his son did not come to him directly but was shown in a dream. He understood that his Lord wanted him to test whether he loved Him or his son more. He passed this final test and was made the leader and Imam of entire humanity.
The 16 crore strong Ummah, which is spread all over the globe, requires the same spirit of ungrudging submission to the will of Allah and doing His biddings in its whole life to regain its past success and distinct place as the leader of entire world.
The sacrifice of animals in Eid al-Adha is symbolic and means that a Muslim is prepared to sacrifice his free will, and entire life to follow the commandments of Allah.
The entire Ummah and its every member should make it a point to consciously rededicate his life for Islam and resolve to live a life of perfect adherence to Islamic teachings. Therein lies the key to our success as a respectable Ummah on earth and as successful people in the everlasting life of Aakhirah.
Every Haji, on Hajj pilgrimage, is representing the Ummah in the House of Allah and renovating the pledge of allegiance on behalf of his brethren. Let us, the members of this Godly nation, through our action, fulfil the pledge which we are making on this pious occasion. This is the only way for regaining our last glory. Heart within and God overhead we have to act and Allah is watching upon us and is capable of supporting us in this noble endeavour. In this lies our own salvation as well as the salvation of the whole world.