On this day Muslims all over the world celebrates the Eid Mubarak or better known among most as Aidil al-Adha. Today in the Muslim calendar it is said that The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (SAW), Peace be unto Him, delivered His final address to Humanity at the Field of Arafah in Makah. This is also the culmination day for the performance of the Haj for those who had performed their pilgrimage ending at Arafah.
The occasion marks the end of Hajj Pilgrimage, the holiest place for people of Muslim faith situated in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The festival is celebrated by sacrificing a goat by the Muslims to pay their obedience to Prophet Abraham's commitment to Allah.
The Eid Mubarak is also commonly known as the Eid-ul Qurban or the sacrificial feast where sacrifices of cattle, goats, camels or sheep s being made by families collectively of by individuals who has the means. This sacrificial for one who has completed his or her pilgrimage is performed at the end of the journey at Arafah while those who carry it out at home or their local mosques collectively is a symbolic act to commemorate the act of the Prophet Abraham who was required by His Lord to take the life of his son as a sacrifice to verify His faith in God. To the Muslims Abraham chose Ismael His first born to His second wife, a Bedouin slave chosen as a surrogate mother when His actual wife was found to be barren.
In the Old Testament (Genesis 16:1–16; 17:18–26; 21:1–21), Abraham’s wife Sarah was initially unable to bear children and therefore gave Abraham her maidservant Hagar to conceive an heir. Ishmael was born and brought up in Abraham’s household. Some 13 years later, however, Sarah conceived Isaac, with whom God established his covenant. Isaac became Abraham’s sole heir, and Ishmael and Hagar were banished to the desert, though God promised that Ishmael would raise up a great nation of his own.
Ishmael, commonly regarded by both Jews and Arabs as the progenitor of the Arabs, is considered a messenger and a prophet (rasūl nabī) in the Qurʾān (e.g., 19:54). Though little is said about him in the Qurʾān itself aside from his designation as a prophet, it suggests that he assisted Abraham in building Islam’s most sacred structure, the Kaaba, in Mecca (2:127). Most Islamic traditions about Ishmael come from other, extrascriptural sources, such as Hadith, tafsīr (Islamic exegesis), and qiṣaṣ al-anbiyāʾ (stories of the prophets). According to the most well-known of these traditions, after Ishmael and Hagar were banished, they settled in Mecca, near which they had found relief and water at the Well of Zamzam. Later, in nearby Minā, Abraham attempted to sacrifice Ishmael (rather than Isaac, as stated in the Old Testament), an event commemorated on Eid al-Adha and in the rituals of the hajj (pilgrimage)
This episode in the theological history of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition has been bugging me every time the time of the Eid Mubarak comes around and I keep telling myself it is of no concern of mine and something best left for those whose vocation it is to delve into these matters deeply till the truth be uncovered. The question that keeps popping up in my mind has been, why would Abraham, an obedient chosen prophet of God banish his second wife and first born to die in the desert? What would drive such a man to carry out such a heinous act against a helpless woman and her child? Secondly, If Isaac were His rightful heir and so called 'real' son, would his wife Sarah who had hoped and prayed for a child of her own allowed Abraham to Isaac away and kill him on account God demanded so? No Jewish mother would sacrifice her only son not even if God had demanded it. It is simply not in her nature to give in so willingly. Perhaps I am wrong, off course I am wrong! For thousands of years since the event religious men has been juggling all the implications that had taken place and none really carry water for me albeit Biblical or otherwise. The story in truth will never be known and as the Muslim expression goes, WallahuAlam...only God knows and so let it rest at that.
Normally I would have it written off as a non essential, an irrelevant to my attention, however it is still a nagging issue sitting at the back of my mind demanding answers and it will remain as such for as long as I have not addressed th issue to its end. Why? Its simply because these minor infractions in the historical facts about the Abrahamic religions have caused untold number of human death and suffering since the time of Abraham. Wars and suppression and oppression have been waged one against another by the three religions claiming to worship the same God and till this day and age it is still unresolved or getting even worse. The Devil it seems has his work cut out for him where the destruction and demise of the children of Adam on the face of the earth is concern. The Jews, Christians and Muslims will be at each other's throat till the end of time or so it seems and all because of the revelations and interpretations of the scriptures by those who were responsible for keeping them pure and unadulterated.
On this holy day of the Muslim calendar the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH), delivered His final sermon before thousands who had completed performing the Haj ending at Arafah.
The sermon was repeated sentence by sentence by Safwan's brother Rabiah (RA), who had powerful voice, at the request of the Prophet and he faithfully, proclaimed to over ten thousand gathered on the occasion. Towards the end of his sermon, the Prophet asked "O people, have I faithfully delivered unto you my message?" A powerful murmur of assents "O Allah! yes!"arose from thousands of pilgrims and the vibrant words "Allahumma Na'm," rolled like thunder throughout the valley. The Prophet raised his forefinger and said: "O Allah bear witness that I have conveyed your message to your people."...
Wallahu Alam... the rest is history.
#muhammad #arafah #abraham #isacc #eidmubarak #zamzam #ishmaeland hagar#
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