The practice of the Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him
As the time for the annual Muslim pilgrimage comes near, so too does the Qurban, or animal sacrifice, that accompanies the end of the pilgrimage and the celebration of Eid ul-Adha.
The Sacrifice
The Qurban is a tradition that points back to the famous story of the Prophet Ibrahim, who was commanded by Allah to sacrifice his own son as a test.
❝[Ibrahim] said, ‘O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.’ He said, ‘O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.❞
However, once they had proven their willingness to obey the commands of Allah, Allah intervened and allowed Ibrahim to sacrifice an animal instead.
❝And when they had both submitted and [Ibrahim] lay [Ismail] down, We called to him, ‘O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision,’ Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial.❞
This story is the basis of the Qurban, a ritual sacrifice of a cattle, goat, sheep or camel that takes place after the prayers of Eid ul-Adha on the 10th of the Islamic month Dhul Hijjah.
This practice was strongly encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who when asked about the sacrifice said,
❝It is the way of your forefather Ibrahim…. There is one reward for every strand of wool.❞
(Musnad Ahmad)
The meat of the Qurban is typically distributed first amongst the family of the one who sacrifices the animal, and then amongst the poor and needy in society, as stipulated in the Qur’an.
❝We have made camels part of God’s sacred rites for you. There is much good in them for you, so invoke God’s name over them as they are lined up for sacrifice, then, when they have fallen down dead, feed yourselves and those who do not ask, as well as those who do. We have subjected them to you in this way so that you may be thankful.❞
Your Qurban
Due to the many difficulties and tragedies facing Muslims around the world today, the Qurban is typically performed by charities who distribute the meat amongst the poor and needy around the world. One such charity is Muslim Aid Australia, whose Qurban offers can be accessed at http://bit.ly/OPNMAAQurban1
May Allah accept all of our sacrifices in this blessed time.