02nd Dhul Hijjah 1443AH
Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu
Praise be to Allah Who has created Time by making the night and the day to alternate and wherefrom we make count of months and years. He (SWT) made the number of months in a year to be twelve as specified in His Book (the Lowh-ul Mahfoodh) right from the very day He created the heavens and the earth and has designated four of the months as sacred (Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab).
I bear witness that there is none who deserve obeisance and reverence other than Allah, the Lord and God of mankind. I also testify that Muhammad, our leader and master, is His slave and messenger, whom He sent to bring us out of the depth of darkness into light by His permission.
May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon the best of His creation and His Confidant, Muhammad (SAW), his family, Companions and all those who follow his guidance till the day of resurrection.
O servants of Allah! Dhul-Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic Calendar and one of the four sacred months in which the bounties of Allah upon the servant who carries out a good deed are immeasurable while those who engages in acts of disobedience incurs the stiffest of His anger. Allah (SWT) has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, in a sense that rewards are multiplied many times than the case in other periods of time. This reflects Allah’s overflowing mercy towards His servants, and it encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgment.
Dhul-Hijjah is a season of worship which brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. This season is fully packed with all kind of worship through which the servants may draw closer to Allah which are not present in other months which explains why the blessings received in this month are overflowing. This season stands out exclusively for Hajj (pilgrimage) and Udhiyya (Sacrifice of animal), as these rites are not done except in Dhul-Hijjah.
O servants of Allah! Increase the velocity and sincerity of your ibadaat in this blessed moment which the Prophet (SAW) in a hadith narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA): “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing” (Bukhari). Therefore, happiness and success are for the one who makes the most of these special month, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship and righteousness. The Muslim must understand the value of his life, increase his worship of Allah and persist in doing good deeds until the moment of death for Allah (SWT) says: “And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty” (Q15:99) and certainty is death.
O the Specially Chosen Brethen! Allah, SWT, has made Hajj compulsory upon those among His servants that have the capability to undertake the journey to His Blessed House in Makkah. He has also demanded of us to bring up a sacrifice for which He promised to reward us abundantly. Indeed, this is the period in which the festival of eid al-adha is celebrated immediately after the completion of the Hajj rites at Arafah.
Adhiya refers to animals which are brought to be sacrificed on the Day of al-Adha and afterwards. It is so called because of the day when they are sacrificed at Duha and it is called the ‘Id al-Adha because the eid prayer in it is at the time of Duha. It is a confirmed sunna for the one who is able, if he is free, Muslim, adult or child, male or female, resident or travelling (not on hajj) to sacrifice for himself and those relatives whose maintenance he is responsible for, like parents and poor children.
O brethren! We need to reflect upon Allah’s command that we offer a sacrifice. At other times we buy animals and slaughter for our foods; during the adha, we also buy and slaughter the same animals and consume the meat. While the former was just to meet our physiological need for food, the latter is for our spiritual need which Allah promises huge reward even though, “neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him” (Q22:37).
This verse clarifies a potential misconception. A simple-minded person might be under the impression that there is some benefit to Allah in these offerings and their meat and blood. The verse refutes this by saying: none of their flesh or blood reaches Allah because He is free from physical properties and all need. It is only taqwa (Allah’s consciousness by the devotee, self-restraint, piety) that reaches Him, spiritually, meaning that the possessors of taqwa get closer to Allah because of having this quality.
It has been narrated that the people of the pre-Islamic era of Jahiliyya (the Age of Ignorance) used to splash the Kaʿbah with the offering blood. So, when the Muslims went to hajj, they also wanted to do the same. Thus, it was revealed: “Neither their flesh nor their blood reaches Allah …” (Q22:37). Reported from Ibn ʿAbbās in ad-Durr al-manthur, on the authority of Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Mardawayh.
Once the sacrifice is done, Allah says: “… Thus has He made them subservient to you, that you may magnify Allah because He has guided you aright; and give good news to those who do good” (Q22:37).
O servants of Allah! Reflect on the fact that “He made them (the animals for sacrifice) subservient to you.” The animals have souls like humans and do not like death. You could see them struggle with you and if not for Allah’s help, we would not be able to subdue the animals in the way we do to get them slaughtered. For this grace of Allah, we should appreciate and cultivate taqwa which Allah demands of us.
Finally, Allah commands that you magnify His name because of the guidance He has provided you to comply with the directive to make the sacrifice. The point of magnifying Allah’s name is about doing takbir (like in saying Allahu Akbar Allah Akbar Allahu Akbar …) after every prayers during the days of tashriq (10th to 13th of Dhul-Hijjah). For the pilgrims In Mina, it should be recited aſter prayer for the next 15 prayers [from the noon prayer of the 10th until the morning prayer on the 13th], and in other cities for the non-Pilgrims, it should be recited aſter prayer for the next 10 prayers [until the morning prayer on the 12th].
The reward accruable will only come by way of taqwa and obedience of Allah’s instruction. When you fulfill these conditions, you are on your way to becoming like Sayyidina Ibrahim whom Allah says: “Surely Ibrahim (AS) was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto the right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous.” (Q16:120-121)
“O Believers! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him and (always) speak the truth. He will direct you to righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement” (Q33:70-71).
Part 2
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May the peace and salutation of Allah be upon the best of Allah’s creation, Muhammad (SAW) son of Abdullah, and upon his household, Companions and all those who follow their path of righteousness up till the Day of Judgement.
O servants of Allah! Qurbaani is a sacrifice that is offered at the time of Eid al-Adha in obedience to Allah’s directive to show gratitude for His favours and to share the joy of the blessed moment (as the hajj rites are being concluded) with the poor and the needy. The Holy Prophet (SAW) was once asked by his Companions: “O Prophet of Allah! What is this qurbaan?” He replied, “It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (AS).”
During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS). One of Ibrahim (AS)’s main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah’s will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his “sacrifice” had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others, that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to Allah.
It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sins. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations who deviated completely from the message of their Prophet and the practices of the idolators. The whole essence of the Qurbaan is submission to Allah’s command which Islam, itself, epitomizes and aptly captured thus: “Verily my worship and my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Sustainer of the worlds” (Q6:162).
O servants of Allah! Do know that Allah has always prescribed the rites of sacrifice for people as He declares: “And for every nation we appoint rites (of sacrifice) that they mention the name of Allah over that beast from quadruped cattle that He has given them for sustenance and food; and your Allah is the one and only Allah, so unto Him submit. And give good tidings (O Muhammad) to the humble” (Q22: 34).
O servants of Allah! Know that the sacrifice of Eid-ul-Adha is wajib (incumbent) upon all those who possess enough wealth to satisfy the least condition of nisab (those who are sahib-al-nisab). However, such a sacrifice is not required by the hujjaj in Mina according to most fuqaha (jurists). The sacrifice made by the hujjaj is not caused by them being sahib-al-nisab but rather by them combining umrah with Hajj in the Hajj of tamattu or qiran. If the umrah is not combined with Hajj, then even this sacrifice is not required. According to Maliki school, it is required that the one making the sacrifice for Eid-ul-Adha must not be a Hajji (pilgrim), even though he may be Makkan.”
Offering the sacrifice (Qurbaan) was well emphasized by Rasulullah (SAW). Zaid ibn Arqam (RA) relates that the companions asked, “O Rasulullah!
• What is Qurbaan?” He replied: “It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim.”
• “What benefit do we get from it?” He answered, “A reward for every hair of the sacrificed animal.”
• “And what reward is there for animals with wool? they asked. “A reward for every fibre of the wool,” replied the Holy Prophet (SAW).” (Ibn Majah)
As in all acts of worship, the Muslim is required to have the highest possible level of sincerity and trust upon acceptance by Allah. In this wise, Rasulullah (SAW) said, “The person who makes Qurbaan with a willing heart and with the niyyat (hope or expectation) of reward (from Allah to whom the sacrifice is truly dedicated), then on the Day of Judgment that Qurbaani will shield him from the fires of Hell.” The greatness of the sacrifice must never be lost to the Muslim knowing well that Rasulullah (SAW) was reported by A’isha (RA) as having said that: “There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the day of Qiyamah with its horns, hair and hooves (to be weighed in Sawaab – reward for the one who made the sacrifice). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore, sacrifice with an open and happy heart.”
O servants of Allah! Hasten to take advantage of this opportunity and sacrifice as many animals as you can afford. The wealthy amongst us can make supplementary Qurbaani for Rasulullah (SAW), his Ummah, and for their own living or deceased relatives. Permission for this supplementary Qurbaani is not required. To underscore the strength and position of Qurbaan, the Prophet (SAW) warned that “the person who has the means of performing Qurbaani but does not do so should not even come near our eid ground (place of Eid prayer).”
O servants of Allah! If you have the capability, which you know that Allah is aware of, then Qur’ban is wajib (mandatory) upon you. Refusing to do it is like the one Allah spoke of: “O you who believe, do not let your possessions and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah; for whoever does that – it is they who are the losers. And expend, in alms, of that with which We have provided you before death comes to any of you, whereat he will say, ‘My Lord, if only You would reprieve me for a short time so that I might give charity and become one of the righteous!’ (Q63:10-11). Ibn ‘Abbas, RA, said, ‘Every person who has fallen short of [his duty regarding] alms and the Pilgrimage will ask to be returned to this world at the moment of death’ but, unfortunately, that will not happen. The loss suffered becomes a permanent one.
O brethren! Do not deny yourself of Allah’s bounties. Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord’s mercy during these ten days, for Allah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgment. May Allah let us benefit immensely from the windfall of this blessed season. Allahumma Aaamiin!!!
Subhana Rabbil Izzati amma yasifuun. Wassalamu ala Mursaleen Wal Hamdulillah Rabbil A’alameen.
Suleiman Zubair
