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Teheran , Eid-ul-Azha, also called Eid-ul-Kabir, because it is a day of sacrifice, is celebrated by the Muslims the world over. It commemorates the historic sacrifice made by Hazrat Ibrahim and lays stress on the fact that real happiness and true joy are not to be sought in the acquisition of wealth, that it is not acquiring but giving away freely what one has that makes for sublimation of the spirit.

The festival is also a conformation of faith that man's unique place in the order of God's creation is earned through absolute and unquestioned submission to Allah's will and a total rejection of doubt and disbelief in the fulfilment of His commands. "Say, my prayers, my sacrifices, my living and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the universe." (6.163): This verse of the Holy Qoran beautifully sums up the quintessence of the spirit of Islam.

Edi-ul-Azha is one of the two canonical festivals in Islam. The word "Azha" is the plural of "Azhat," meaning sacrifice hence this Eid is called the festival of sacrifice.

Hazrat Ibrahim once dreamt that he was himself sacrificing his dearest and only son, Hazrat Ismail. He discussed this dream with his son, and taking it as a pointer from God, he readily undertook to translate his dream into reality. He took his son, Ismail to the Hill of Merwah near the House of God in Mecca. When he was about to sacrifice his son, a providential intervention took place and a ram was substituted for sacrifice.

What God intended was to put Hazrat Ibrahim to a test, so that this supreme manifestation of the faith in God and unquestioned acceptance of His will may be set forth as a beacon light and inspiration to all men, women of faith and goodwill.

The unquestioned submission and the unshakable resolve to obey Allah without any thought of self and the possibility of capitulating to the paternal instinct, vindicated Hazrat Ibrahim's title of Khalilullah (Friend of God). It is in the commemoration of this supreme. Sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim in the way of God on the tenth of Zelhajjeh that the Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with marked enthusiasm and due solemnity.

The festival also society, to reduce the economic inequalities and build up a contented society, sensitive to the needs of the have-nots. The believers offer in sacrifice a sheep, a goat, a cow or a camel. The flesh of sacrificial animals is divided into three portions: one-third being given to relatives, one-third to the poor and the remaining one-third is consumed by the family.

With a view to ensuring the solidarity of the Muslim community for all times to come, the men of wealth needed to be taught to share the benefits of their worldly possessions with the poor and the needy.

What was more, this process of parting with wealth to ameliorate the sufferings of the poor and the destitute was to be accompanied by a restraint on emotion, because the sacrifice would not involve a mere dispossession of an object, but would involve the killing of domestic animal for the purpose of distributing its meat among those who needed it. Obviously, the act was intended to symbolize the social obligations of the owners of private property held by them as a gift from God to be used in the manner and to the extent God has prescribed.

Eid-ul-Azha strengthens the egalitarian aspect of Islam against any tendency on the part of its followers to develop individualism to an extent which would shatter their essential unity as believers.

Man's emotional attachment to his wealth, and his unwillingness to part with it in the interests of society as a whole proved the most powerful obstacle to the creation of an egalitarian society envisaged by Islam, and it was through sacrifice on the occasion of this festival that this tendency was sought to be curbed. (Tehran Times) (Continued on page 25) Eid-ul-Azha symbolizes The Qoranic concept of sacrifice centers on the selfless and the humble so that is becomes the binding force which keeps human personality in readiness for withstanding evil. The institution of sacrifice in Islam is not only in commemoration of the historic event of Hazrat Ibrahim's submission to the will of Allah but also in perfect consonance with the universal practice of sacrifice as enunciated end propounded by almost all the major religions of the world.

Animal sacrifice has been practised by almost all religions of yore, but Islam has given new meaning to it. It was practised in the past mostly to pacify revengeful goods. Islam did not consider animal sacrifice as a means of appeasing an offended deity or as a stonement of sin. In Islam sacrifice is an outward symbol of man's readiness to lay down even his life, if need be, for the sake of God and to sacrifice all his interests and ambitions in the cause of truth and righteousness. The basic philosophy of sacrifice according to the Holy Qoran, is love of God and the establishment of truth. 

As a living institution, it is designed to give the Muslims the world over a annual opportunity to realize their oneness in faith. Says the Holy Qoran: "And to every nation, We appointed a ritual that they may mention the name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food." (22:34). Islam invests this institution with a deep philosophy. The killing of an animal is only symbolic. 

It represents the Killing of every animal instinct in man and his wild and unchecked passions, lusts and desires - nay, the voluntary extinction and self abasement of his entire being in communion with the Divine Being. This prepares the Believers to consider no sacrifice great, when the occasion warrants, in the cause of truth and justice, which is the cause of Allah. The Holy Qoran makes the intention behind the sacrifice of animals clear in the verse which says: "It is not their flesh nor their blood that reached Allah, but to Him is acceptable righteousness on your part". (22:37). 

The slaughter of animals is a constant reminder of the motive behind the hollowed practice of sacrifice, and not just a rite of custom. Only those who have spiritual insight can sense and feel its impact. It is a great example of piety, devolution to high purpose and the spirit of sacrifice - the spirit to forge personal possession for the larger good and to rise above material temptations. 

The Eid, which also marks the annual celebration of laying the foundation of Ka'ba, the House of God, highlights the supremacy of spiritual attainments over material considerations. And the emotion of one brotherhood, to which all Muslims belong becomes remarkably pronounce on this occasion. The Qoranic concept of sacrifice centers on the selfless and the humble so that is becomes the binding force which keeps human personality in readiness for withstanding evil. 

The institution of sacrifice in Islam is not only in commemoration of the historic event of Hazrat Ibrahim's submission to the will of Allah but also in perfect consonance with the universal practice of sacrifice as enunciated end propounded by almost all the major religions of the world. Animal sacrifice has been practised by almost all religions of yore, but Islam has given new meaning to it. It was practised in the past mostly to pacify revengeful goods. Islam did not consider animal sacrifice as a means of appeasing an offended deity or as a stonement of sin. 

In Islam sacrifice is an outward symbol of man's readiness to lay down even his life, if need be, for the sake of God and to sacrifice all his interests and ambitions in the cause of truth and righteousness. xThe basic philosophy of sacrifice according to the Holy Qoran, is love of God and the establishment of truth. As a living institution, it is designed to give the Muslims the world over a annual opportunity to realize their oneness in faith. Says the Holy Qoran: "And to every nation, We appointed a ritual that they may mention the name of Allah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food." (22:34). Islam invests this institution with a deep philosophy. The killing of an animal is only symbolic. 

It represents the Killing of every animal instinct in man and his wild and unchecked passions, lusts and desires - nay, the voluntary extinction and self abasement of his entire being in communion with the Divine Being. This prepares the Believers to consider no sacrifice great, when the occasion warrants, in the cause of truth and justice, which is the cause of Allah. The Holy Qoran makes the intention behind the sacrifice of animals clear in the verse which says: "It is not their flesh nor their blood that reached Allah, but to Him is acceptable righteousness on your part". (22:37). 

The slaughter of animals is a constant reminder of the motive behind the hollowed practice of sacrifice, and not just a rite of custom. Only those who have spiritual insight can sense and feel its impact. It is a great example of piety, devolution to high purpose and the spirit of sacrifice - the spirit to forge personal possession for the larger good and to rise above material temptations. The Eid, which also marks the annual celebration of laying the foundation of Ka'ba, the House of God, highlights the supremacy of spiritual attainments over material considerations. And the emotion of one brotherhood, to which all Muslims belong becomes remarkably pronounce on this occasion. (Tehran Times)

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