SEPTEMBER 11

Sacrifice

One of the qualities of the believers described in the Quran is the readiness to sacrifice one’s interests for the sake of another; that is, holding the needs of others to be above one’s own; taking the trouble to help others; giving preference to others, occupying a back seat oneself. This human quality is termed eesar (sacrifice) in the Quran.

After the emigration a number of Muslims came to Madinah from Makkah. These people were evidently going to become a burden upon the Madinan Muslims. Because at that time the emigrants were empty-handed; while the local inhabitants (Ansar) had houses, lands, orchards, etc. But the Madinan Muslims, gave a hearty welcome to these newcomers, who were apparently about to become a source of economic liability. Referring to this question, the Quran observed: “Those, before them, who had homes in the City (Madinah) and embraced the Faith before them, love those who have sought refuge with them; they entertain no desire in their hearts for what they are given, but rather prefer them above themselves, though they are in want. Those that preserve themselves from their own greed shall surely prosper.” (59:9)

This willingness to sacrifice is a superior human quality. It is something which is experienced daily by the people. Almost every morning and evening such occasions arise when one feels the necessity for one kind of sacrifice or the other, the need to recede into the background and leave the path clear for others to go forward; to suffer oneself in order to give comfort to others; to cut down one’s own expenses to be able to help others; to suppress one’s own personality so that others may come to the fore, to remain silent to allow others to speak; to keep one’s conveyance to one side in order to give room for others to go ahead to their destinations. Such self-sacrifice is called eesar. It is a form of altruism. According to the Quran, it is those who possess this quality who will prosper.