AL QALAM: 20 Minutes with MeMe

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

Assalaam O Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

Narrated Al-Bara':

I heard the Prophet (p.b.u.h) delivering a Khutba saying, "The first thing to be done on this day (first day of 'Id ul Adha) is to pray; and after returning from the prayer we slaughter our sacrifices (in the name of Allah) and whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunna (traditions)."

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 71

”MeMe”, as my little cousin Mohammad bin Rehan was trying to say, was our cute little goat which was to be sacrificed in the way of Allah SWT for the sacred occasion of ‘Id ul Adha, in rememberance of Hazrat Ibrahim AS.

I've never been very fond of goats or cows so there wasn't any chance of attachment to this one too.. I had expected it to be slaughtered already when I got up the morning of ‘Id ul Adha.. but asusual, the butcher was late... and didn't come till 1 or 2pm ... so I got to spend a little time with Meme and Baqqa(the other goat) and because of their cute actions, I felt theres an association between us.

In just those 20 mins, I learnt a lot about keeping pets and to take care of them, and I experienced how the innocent animals show affection to their owners. I observed why it’s necessary to feed them well and why its important to spend some time with them before the sacrifice, that creates a connection between you and the “Nusuk” and by sacrificing it you’ll be able to show your sincere love to your Allah by slaughtering something that is dear to you. [Innamul Aamaal Bin Niyaat].

I realized ‘Id ul Adha is not just another event, and its not just for the sake of slaughtering animals and having feats afterwards, but its an event, an oppourtunity to solidify the Iman, to get connected with Allah SWT, to show your love. It’s a time to extend happiness and relationships with your relatives and friends and to take care of the poor people. It’s a moment to thank Allah SWT for all His Mercies and Blessings.

May Allah SWT accept our offerings of sacrifices and our deeds, actions and prayers, May Allah SWT fill our hearts with Pure Iman and love of Allah SWT and Rasul Allah SAW , May Allah SWT make us steadfast in Practicing Islam to the fullest. May Allah have His Mercy on the Muslim Ummah. AMEEN

"Eid Saeed, Kullo Aam wa Antum Bakhair :) !!"

Rulings for the Sacrifice:

1- Its age: The sacrifice of the sheep should not be other than a ewe, which has completed a year, or about it. A goat should have completed one year and entered in the second year. The camels should have completed four years and entered in the fifth. The cows should have completed two years and entered in the third year. As to the Prophet’s saying: “ Do not slaughter but an old (sacrifice), If it is difficult to find it, then you may slaughter a six month old ewe.” (narrated by Muslim)

2- Its safety: It is not sufficient to sacrifice but the healthy ( the devoid of defects ). The one-eyed , the limped or that the horn of which is broken in its origin is not sufficient. Neither the sick nor the slim that has no flesh are sufficient, either. That is for his saying (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him): “The sacrifice of these four is not permissible: the one-eyed whose defect is obvious, the sick whose sickness is clear, the limped whose limping is apparent and the weak that has no flesh”.

3- The best of it: The best of the sacrifices is that which is a white male, horned ram which has blackness mixing around its eyes and legs. That is the description which the Messenger of Allah (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) liked most, and he sacrificed with. Aa`isha (May Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Noble Prophet (may blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) had scarificed a horned ram, trampling in blackness, walking in blackness, and looking in blackness”.

4- The time of its slaughtering: The time of slaughtering the sacrifices is in the morning of the Eid day after the Eid prayer. It is not legal to do it before Eid prayer. As to his saying (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him): “ That who slaughters before the prayer, then he is slaughtering for himself, and that who slaughters after the prayer then his sacrifice is complete, and has attained the tradition of the Muslims”. But after the Eid day, it is permissible to delay it to the second day or the third day. That is for what was narrated: “All the days of At-Tashriq are days of slaughtering.”

5- What is desirable at the slaughtering: It is preferable to turn the sacrifice towards the Qibla and to say: “ I turn my face towards Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, as a truthful Muslim, and I am not of the atheists. My prayer and sacrifice , my living and my death are to Allah the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. With this I have been commanded and I am the first of the Muslims”. When one commences slaughtering he has to say: “ In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, Our Lord, it is from You and to You”.

6- The validity of the entrustment in it: It is desirable for the Muslim to slaughter his sacrifice himself, and if he emtrusts any one on his behalf, it is permissible. There is no dispute in this among scholars.

7- The desirable distribution: It is desirable that the sacrifice be divided into there: His family eat one third, and they give in charity one third, and they give the remaining one third to their friends. That is for his saying (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him): “ Eat and save, and give in charity”. And it is permissible to give it all in charity, as it is permissible to save a part of it.

8- The wage for its butcher from other than it: The butcher should not be given the wage for his doing from the sacrifice. As to the saying of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) had ordered me to stand at his camels: And to give in charity its meat and skin and saddles, and not to give the butcher anything of it. And he said: “We give him from what we have”.

9- Is the sheep sufficient for the household? The one sheep is sufficient for the household as a whole, even though they are many. According to Abu Aiyyub (May Allah be pleased with him): “ The man used during the days of the Messenger of Allah to sacrifice the sheep on his behalf and on behalf of his household”.

10- What one should avoid until he fulfils his sacrifice: It is enormously detested for that who wanted to sacrifice to cut hair or any of his nails if the crescent of Thul-Hijja begins, until he sacrifices. According to the Noble Prophet (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him): “ If you see the crescent of Thul-Hijja and any one of you wants to sacrifice, let him hold from cutting his hair and his nails until he sacrifices”.

11- The sacrifice of the Messenger (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) on behalf of all the Muslim nation: A Muslim who is incapable of offering the sacrifice, gets the reward of those who sacrifice. That is because the Noble Prophet (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) ,when he slaughtered one of his two rams, said: “ Our Lord, this is on my behalf and on behalf of that who did not offer a sacrifice of my nation”.