Every year during Eidul Ad'ha, there is a common complain.." This year the goats are very expensive." But if you count the price rise index of other things you will notice that every thing has gone dearer than last year and not only goats. Petrol in Mumbai has got dearer by 20 percent as compared to last year and along with petrol, everything that is associated with transportation gets expensive. Eid is a festival of sacrifice so if you are buying a sacrificial animal then you are sacrificing more than last year.But there are many other things we need to sacrifice besides Goat..let us consider a few things.
Those who have cut off their relations due to petty reasons should sacrifce their egoes and make amendments with his warrying brother, as the Hadith says..one who is more beloved to Allah will get the tuofiq of greeting first.
Those who are in the habits of buying expensive unwanted electronic gadgets like branded mobiles and leather items, should sacrifice their habits ofbeing extravagance.
Those who are obsessed by violent and obscene entertainment via TV and Movies should discard their Haram entertainments. That is also a sacrifice of your desire.
Those who are into buying expensive unbranded goats and post their pictures in media for a show off should also sacrifice their attitude of Riyaa (show off )as the Qur'an says.. Your blood and meat does not reach Allah but your taqwa reaches..Indicating that all the expensive things need not be precious in the sight of Allah.
Those who are into sacrificing innocent Muslims through bomblasts in the cities of Muslim cities should abstaiin from their extremism and observe Patience as the Qur'an says..it is indeed a big thing to observe patience...
Those who are dishonouring Muslims in their private talks and public talks should also abstain from gheebat as it is counted as eating the meat of their dead brothers and during Eid, the meat of animal is tastier than the meat of your dead brother through gheebah and slandering.
Those children who are entertaining themselves and others by indulging their goats in goat fights to show people how strong their goats are.. should realise that they are not only putting themselves but also their goats into sin. Yes I am right...The famous sahih hadith says..On the day of Qiyamah a goat with horn who had hurt another goat without horn will be brought and justice willbe done to the goat without horn by giving it a pair of horns so that it can take its revenge...It means those people who entertain others through goat fights will be also sinning and also those elders who watch it and enjoy it..
Those who cant wake up for fajr should sacrifice their desire to sleep and get into the mode of praying fajr at fajr only and not along wiht zohar.
Finally make a point ot sacrifice your valuable time and get into some type of social service to serve people and sacrifice your laziness and try to remember Allah as much as possible during these days..
Author Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes on socio-educational issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com
