Ghanaian Muslims will join Muslims across the globe tomorrow to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha (feast of sacrifice).Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated seventy days after Eid-ul-Fitr, the Eid of thanksgiving, after fasting in the month of Ramadan.This special celebration is observed by Muslims in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim sacrifice of his son, Ismai to Allah (God).For that display of commitment to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command, Allah exchanged that sacrifice with a sheep.The occasion of the Eid-ul-Adha is, therefore, a test of the faith and obedience of Muslims to the command of Allah.
Those who can afford are required to buy and sacrifice animals.As a requirement of the celebration, Muslims will offer prayers after which they will slaughter animals - goats, sheep and cows - as their sacrifice for the occasion.Muslims are guided as to how to share the meat - they reserve one third for themselves, share one third among neighbours and the other third among followers of other religious faiths.The sacrifice, therefore, seeks to bring about peaceful co-existence and harmony between the rich and the poor in the society.Besides, the giving of meat to adherents of other religious faiths brings about peace, understanding and tolerance between Muslims and followers of those religions.According to Islamic scholars, Eid-ul-Adha goes beyond the sacrifice of animals, as the feast also challenges Muslims to use their intelligence, wealth, energy and time to better the lot of other people in the society.Therefore, like other Ghanaians, Muslims owe it a duty to themselves and future generations to contribute their quota to the development of the country.Eid-ul-Adha also marks the end of the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
The pilgrims are also required to sacrifice animals at the end of the pilgrimage.The pilgirims, who do not have the means to sacrifice animals, are obliged to observe the fast - a part in Mecca and the rest in their home countries - to stand in for the sacrifice.BY MALIK SULLEMANA
