Let Us Sacrifice For Humanity

Yesterday Muslims who went on the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia ascended Mount Arafat – a critical highlight of the rituals associated with the annual religious exercise. It was the second day of the pilgrimage.

Today, in line with the convention of the Islamic faith, pilgrims will make their way to Mina – another station in the pilgrimage – a day which features the eid el adha or festival of sacrifice.

It is also a commemoration of the spiritual test of will as administered on Ishmael or Ismail by Angel Gabriel. The ram or other specified ruminants used for today's sacrifice is in commemoration of that date in Islamic history.

As we reenact that great date in Islamic history, it is important that we do not lose sight of the spirit of sacrifice which today's slaughtering of animals symbolizes.

We must develop the spirit of sacrificing our wealth for the good of the society in which we live. Many are they who would not go the extra mile to serve humanity as their individual selves matter most to them.

The lessons from Abraham and his son Ishmael when imbibed by all, would go a long way in changing our world.

We can only leave the world a better place than we met it when we begin thinking about how much we can sacrifice to change the face of the community or even the world without thinking about what we can get for our individual selves.

Our forebears worked hard, sometimes even at the peril of their lives, to come out with life-changing scientific feats which have contributed immensely towards making life better than they met it.

Prophet Abraham, just when he was on the verge of sacrificing his son as a test of his subservience to God, had a ram delivered to him in place of Ishmael. That is the essence of today's sacrifice which Muslims are reenacting and commemorating.

The spirit of sacrifice which is in short supply today, is responsible somewhat for the predicament facing mankind, especially in our part of the world.

It is significant to also take note of the commonness of the white seamless apparel worn by all pilgrims – regardless of their class – during the pilgrimage.

We are all mortals no matter the fortunes God has bestowed upon us individually; and this could not have been symbolized better than the common apparel.

The critical segments of the annual pilgrimage which Muslims are enjoined to perform once in their lifetime have virtually come to an end by today's rituals.

In a fortnight or so pilgrims would begin their homeward journeys. It is our hope that they would return as changed personalities with a new outlook about the ephemeral world and ready to sacrifice as they did during the arduous pilgrimage. After all, they have been born anew. Eid el Mubarak.