THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SACRIFICE
Meaningful Deed
THE sacrifice of an animal on the occasion of Eid ul-Azha every year has a great bearing on human life. It symbolizes the moulding and making of a pure life. Today, however, this sacrifice has become an annual ritual. It remains alive only as a soulless religious tradition, as something to be done as a ritual on a particular day. It seems to have no impact whatsoever on people’s lives. However, if the sacrifice were done in its true spirit, our entire society would have been very different.
Referring to the sacrifice, the Quran says:
Their flesh and blood do not reach God: it is your piety that reaches Him.
(THE QURAN 22: 37)
Flesh and blood are present in the bodies of the animals that are slaughtered, while piety should be present in the heart of the person who slaughters them. From the above-mentioned Quranic verse it is clear that while it appears the animals are being presented before God, in reality it is human beings who are presenting themselves before Him. In other words, the actual sacrifice is not the slaughter of an animal, but, instead, the slaughter of one’s self.
Sacrifice, understood in this way, is more about the one who engages in the act of slaughter rather than the being that is slaughtered. On the face of it, this slaughter seems an external or outwardly act. But, in actual fact, it is — or should be — an inner action. That person’s sacrifice alone is proper who converts his outwardly act of slaughter into an inwardly one.
By slaughtering an animal, we express our determination to slaughter our egos for the sake of God, to sacrifice our own personal interests and be firmly established in the path of righteousness, to ignore all personal interests whilst obeying God’s commandments. In this way, we express our readiness to slice off with a knife our egos if they become a hurdle in our journeying on God’s path.
In another verse that mentions sacrifice the Quran says:
Pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him alone.
(THE QURAN 108: 2)
In a sense, this verse speaks about two aspects of faith: one, humility and modesty, and the other, selflessness and sacrifice. Prayer symbolizes humility, while slaughtering an animal symbolizes sacrifice. It is on these two fundamentals — humility and sacrifice — that the entire edifice of the faith stands.
While it appears that the animals are being presented before God, in reality it is human beings who are presenting themselves before Him.
It can, in a sense, be said that we should relate to God through humility and to God’s servants — our fellow beings — through sacrifice. God is Great, and we are small. God is the Giver, and we are recipients. God is the Master, and we are His slaves. In this sense, the only appropriate way to relate with God is through humility. Here, the excellence of the slave is to accept his insignificance before God. In this context, we accept our utter insignificance before Him and express our humility and complete surrender and obedience to Him.
The act of sacrifice has much to do with our relations with fellow human beings. It is linked to morality and appropriate behaviour in society. The Quran tells us that when the Prophet Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son, Ismael, the latter said:
O my father, do as you are commanded; and God willing, you will find me steadfast.
(THE QURAN 37: 102)
From this we learn that patient steadfastness or sabr is the underlying basis of sacrifice. Unless we become truly steadfast and able to persevere and patiently face things, we really won’t have made any sacrifice at all. In sacrificing an animal, we express our resolve to become as steadfast in our lives as the Prophet Ismael.
Patient steadfastness is the sole foundation of a healthy society. Without patience, such a society is impossible. This is because when many people live together, it is inevitable that things will repeatedly arise that people regard as unpleasant. This happens even in a family situation or in a small locality. And, so, naturally, it will happen in a large community, too. If a room is full of statues, of course the statues won’t ever come into conflict with each other. But things are different when human beings live together. It is but natural that they will have their differences and complaints.
In such conditions, the only way to prevent conflict and chaos in society is for people to embody the virtue of sabr or patient determination. They must learn to patiently face the unpleasantness of others. They must rise above complaints whilst forging relationships with each other.
Patience always demands sacrifice. It is impossible to steadfastly face difficult situations without sacrifice. In life, one repeatedly faces situations when, because of someone else’s actions, we feel insulted. Our egos are hurt by the behaviour of others. We get provoked and driven to anger. In such situations, the animal in us is rudely awakened. At such moments, we need to slaughter this ‘animal’ inside us. The sacrifice of this ‘inner animal’ alone is the true sacrifice. Only through this sacrifice can we build and lead a truly God-oriented life. Only then can we go on to build a truly healthy society.
To slaughter the animal inside us that comes to life when faced with differences and complaints is the real sacrifice that God desires. By offering this sacrifice, we off er proof of that exalted quality that is called taqwa or piety in the Quran (THE QURAN 22: 37).
Only after we sacrifice this ‘psychological animal’ does the great virtue of sabr or steadfastness begin to appear in us. Steadfastness, patient toleration, forgiveness and avoidance are indispensable for a healthy society. These qualities can only emerge in the true sense of the term only when we slaughter the ‘inner animal’ that resides within each one of us.
The Quran says:
Call mankind to the Pilgrimage […] so that they may witness its benefit for them and, on the appointed days may utter the name of God over the cattle He has provided for them. Then eat their flesh, and feed the distressed and the needy […]
(THE QURAN 22: 27-28)
From this verse we learn about two more aspects of sacrifice. One is that whenever we use anything given by God we have to take God’s name. Taking the name of God when using something is an acknowledgment that it, along with everything else, is a direct gift from God. God has given human beings countless things to fulfill our needs. And so, we must recognize them as gifts from God and use them accordingly, rather than thinking them to be a product of our intelligence or power.
When an animal is slaughtered, we are commanded to eat its meat and to share it with others. In this way, this sacrifice enkindles in us the spirit of generosity, compassion and mutual help and sharing. It teaches us to share our food with others, to recognize that our food and our earnings are not ours alone to enjoy, but that others, too, have a share in them. It teaches us not to be concerned only with our own affairs and with solving our own problems, but to also make efforts to help others solve their problems, too. It teaches us that we cannot live as isolated and unrelated individuals, and that, instead, we need to learn how to live as useful members of society, thereby, becoming a good ‘part of the whole’ of mankind.
If we keep these aspects in mind, we can better appreciate that the sacrifice is not just a soulless historical tradition but a live act with a message and meaning. The message of sacrifice is this: Slaughter the ‘animal’ within you and bring to life the humanness that also resides inside you. This is what sacrifice really means. This is the real message of sacrifice.
