Saturday, January 15, 2005

Greetings for Eid al-Adha

One of the most well-known and pious festives of Islam as I belive is Eid a-Adha. Basically the day is for the Hajis (Pilgrims) to complete their tenets of Haj with the performinig of Zabihat (Slaughter of an Animal).
The 3 Days that follow the Eid are also marked with the same ritual, commonly known as the days of eating and drinking (Ayyam al-Akle wal- Shurb) . By drink I do not mean wine :-).
The Tsunami recently did give everyone a shock to what Allah had inflicted upon mankind, let me say it is man who brings such disaster upon himseif by disobeying Allah. Islam's most gracious festive the Eid is near and hundreds of millions are being donated by everyone in the Tsunami relief effort. What comes to mind is that Islam as an entity not an religion has granted such a festive every year when millions of Animals are slaughtered around the globe by muslims and the meat then commonly distributed to the needy.
In Mina itself a huge number of amimal slaughter takes place and the needy get their share. Looking at this it also reminds me that Islam has levied Zakat for the needy, the homeless and so on that Allah's Wali, Imam, Dai collects and distributes to them as per the need of the day. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (tus) donated a huge sum to the Tsunami relief to various countries and mumineen around the world followed his highest example.
Ah, I guess I am wavering from one topic to another.
I was reminded by the words of Shakespear "We feed ourselves for the Maggots". But we do feed cattle and livestock for ourselves and the needy. For without food people would not live.
The human population is at high rise and so is Allah's mercy for creating livestock for us. The Eid day reminds us of those not so fortunate enough to have a single meal and give them a share of our love. Islam is a single being, I say alive, to care for all of mankind and the human race regardless of their race, culture or religious and ethnic backgroud. A non-selfish person.
Remember you are not allowed to preserve the meat of the adhiyat on Eid for not later than the 13th of Zil Haj.