Editorial Desk :
This year Muslims of Bangladesh are going to perform the rite of sacrifice tomorrow following the unique example of the prophet Ibrahim (As) in a rather relaxed environment after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic but in a very critical economic condition generated by a worldwide inflation. The unprecedented economic crisis has not only made the maintenance of life for the poor and the lower income group of people difficult; it also turned their lives greatly stressed.
That is why many faithful Muslims might not be able to sacrifice animals as they did in the previous years or even if some of them are able to do so they must have bought rather small animals for sacrifice.
But Allah is always forgiving and merciful, and He will certainly accept the
submissive hearts of all the faithful whether he is able to sacrifice animals in visual demonstration of it or not, because Allah himself in the holy Quran declares in Surah Hajj (Verse 37): “Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.” This piety of heart is what Allah sees, and hence, the faithful must also be careful that their sacrifice does not become a mere show of sacrifice.
However, the significance of sacrificing animal before Allah is of immense value in the life of a Muslim, because the very identity of his being ‘Muslim’ and the name of his religion, ‘Islam’, has come from the act of Ibrahim (As) who was enjoined by Allah to sacrifice his ‘only’ son to Him, and Ibrahim was all ready to do it but Allah accepted his act of submission and relieved prophet Ibrahim’s heart replacing his son for a sheep.
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) as the last Prophet who restored the true religion of Allah, Islam, for all the believers.
As Muslims are going to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha from tomorrow for three days, a piece of information has come in a report of the UN that 73.5 per cent people of Bangladesh do not get a balanced diet on their plate. This news is shocking. Therefore, those who sacrifice animals must make sure that the poor and the needy people get their due share of meat from the slaughtered sacrificial animal. In fact, the rich ought to stand for their poor fellow human beings, at this critical period of the economy, with other assistance as well. If one’s religion does not consist of this, then what it is?
