Before explaining why we make udhiyah, we first have to understand why we make hajj. Although there are a number of activities in hajj (tawaaf, sa’ee, the stay in ‘Arafah, the stay in Muzdalifah, pelting of the jamaraat, offering of a sacrificial animal, shaving or trimming of the hair etc.), Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said that, “Hajj is ‘Arafah” – as if hajj is only about ‘Arafah. That, however, is not what he meant. Instead, he meant that the stay in ‘Arafah is so important, it is as if there is nothing else in hajj besides ‘Arafah. Thus, the fuqahaa agree that even if a person diligently observes all the injunctions of hajj, his hajj will be invalid if he does not spend any time – no matter how short – between zawaal of the ninth of Dhil Hajj and subh saadiq of the tenth in ‘Arafah. On the contrary, if person spends some time between zawaal of the ninth of Dhil Hajj and subh saadiq of the tenth in ‘Arafah, his hajj will be valid even if he omits all or some of the other injunctions of hajj. This means that ‘Arafah is the climax of hajj – as though the pilgrim’s aim in making hajj is merely to reach ‘Arafah. The question now is, ‘what is ‘Arafah all about?’ Looking beyond the performance of dhur and ‘asr at one time and the fervent du’aas and cries for forgiveness, those who comprehend the deeper dimensions of our ‘ibaadaat contend that ‘Arafah is a meeting with Allah.
Before meeting with worldly kings and presidents (or any other dignitary), we take a bath, wear the best clothes and apply some perfume. In fact, we do this before attending any function. Similarly, before meeting with Allah in ‘Arafah, we have to be clean. This meeting, however, demands spiritual cleanliness. Thus, we keep saum and exert ourselves in other ‘ibaadaat (obligatory and optional) in the month of Ramadaan. Hence, the last moment of Ramadaan is the first moment of hajj. Consider two questions viz.
When does the month of Ramadaan end?
When does hajj begin?
The answers to both these questions are the same – when the crescent of ‘eid-ul-fitr is sighted. The moment Ramadaan ends, hajj begins. Remember, Allah Ta’aala said:
الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ
“Hajj comprises a (few) known months.”
These known moths are Shawwaal, Dhul-Qa’dah and the first ten days of Dhul-Hajj.
In the past, in the days of kings and queens, whenever a man was granted a meeting with the king, he would be required to present the king with a gift. Similarly, when the haaji meets Allah, he too is required to present Allah with a gift. Since nothing is more valuable to man then his life, the most appropriate gift that the haaji could present to Allah is his life. Nonetheless, suicide is impermissible.
وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
“Do not kill yourselves; certainly Allah is Most Merciful unto you.”
So what does the haaji do? When Nabi Ibrahim (as) tried to slaughter Nabi Isma’il (as) in accordance with the command of Allah, Allah Ta’aala sent him a ram from the sky and told him to slaughter the ram instead. Thus, the haaji is commanded to slaughter an animal instead of himself. This sacrifice is his ‘gift’ to Allah.
In the Farewell Hajj, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam slaughtered one hundred camels. The reason for doing so is that the blood money for a human life is one hundred camels. Thus, if one may not sacrifice his life, it would be appropriate to slaughter a hundred camels instead. However, not everybody possesses so many camels. (That is why the blood money for manslaughter is payed by the killer’s ‘aaqilah, a group of people related to the killer.) Furthermore, there would be a colossal problem if every haaji were required to sacrifice a hundred camels each. Hence, the sharee’ah requires the haaji to slaughter a single animal as his ‘gift’ to Allah.
I guess that you are probably wondering what all this has to do with udhiyah. We do not make hajj in Benoni, Springs or Lenasia. Hajj can only be made in Makkah. So why are we who are not hujjaaj commanded to make udhiyah? The answer to this is imitation; we are commanded to imitate the hujjaaj.
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا الْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ
“Recall the time when we made the ka’bah a place to which people repeatedly return . . .”
It is for this reason that we observe countless people who repeatedly go for hajj and ‘umrah. We also observe that those who lack the ability to return fervently desire doing so. Thus, their hearts ‘bleed’ when they see the hujjaaj departing for hajj. When they hear the live transmission of the ‘Arafah khutbah on the ninth of Dhul-Hajj, they cry again. If only they were there. Pitying such people, Allah tells them not to despare. Sitting at home, you too can earn a reward similar to that of the haaji. Just imitate him. Remember the hadith:
من تشبّه بقوم فهو منهم
“Whoever imitates a people will be among them.”
Thus:
Just as the haaji does not cut or shave his hair and pare his nails while he is in ihram, the non-haaji refrains from doing so during the first ten days of Dhul-Hajj.
Just as the haaji recites talbiyah, the non-haaji recites the takbeer-u-tashreeq.
Just as the haaji sacrifices an animal called hady or dam-ush-shukr on the tenth of Dhul-Hajj, the non-haaji sacrifices an animal called udhiyah on the same day.
Just as the haaji slaughters after the assembly in ‘Arafah, the non-haaji slaughters after the assembly in the musallaa (‘eid gaah).
Just as the haaji only cuts or shaves his hair and pares his nails after slaughtering his hady, the non-haaji only cuts or shaves his hair and pares his nails after slaughtering his udhiyah.
Another Explanation
The people of Madinah had two annual festivals. After hijrah (migration), Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam substituted them with the two ‘eids (‘Eid-ul-Fitr and ‘Eid-ul-Adha). The reason for this, as explained by Shah Waliullah (ra), is that every nation’s festivals are based on either un-Islamic customs or praise for their heroes. The festivals of the people of Madinah were no different. Thus, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam substituted them with ‘Eid-ul-Fitr which is based on successful completion of the siyaam (fasting) of Ramadaan and ‘Eid-ul-Adha which is based on the memory of Nabi Ibrahim (as). Now if you ask why we need to remember Nabi Ibrahim (as), the answer would be that Islam is based upon his deen (the Qur’aan uses the word millat).
مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمينَ
“. . . The religion of your father, Ibrahim. He called you Muslimeen . . .”
The Sunnah of Ibrahim (as)
“What are these adaahy (plural of udhiyah), O Rasool of Allah?” asked the Sahaabah (ra). “The sunnah of your father, Ibrahim,” he replied. Considering this hadith, we could say that the reason why we make udhiyah is simply because it was the sunnah of Nabi Ibrahim (as). The motivation for observing this sunnah was to thank Allah for sparing his son Isma’il (as)’s life. Remember that Nabi Ibrahim (as) was commanded to slaughter Isma’il (as) in order to prove his love for Allah. He ‘passed the test’. As he passed the knife on his son’s throat and wondered why it was not cutting, Allah Ta’aala sent him a ram from the heavens and commanded him to slaughter it in place of his son. Consequently, Nabi Ibrahim (as) would slaughter a ram every year as a token of thanks to Allah for saving his son’s life. Since we follow Nabi Ibrahim (as)’s millat (Islam is based on his millat) and Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is from Nabi Isma’il (as)’s progeny, it is only appropriate that we follow his sunnah and thank Allah for saving Nabi Isma’il (as)’s life.
A Reminder
Finally, the udhiyah also serves as a reminder. At the time of the slaughter, one is reminded that he should be prepared to sacrifice himself for Allah’s pleasure. ‘Nabi Ibrahim (as) was prepared to sacrifice his son to please Allah. How much am I prepared to sacrifice to please Him?’
O Allah, guide us to the true spirit of udhiyah. O Allah, guide us to the true spirit of sacrifice, aameen.
و آخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين
Abu Hudhaifa Muhammed Karolia
6 Dhil Hajj 1434 / 12 October 2013
Al-Jaami’ah Al-Mahmoodiah
Persida, SpringsRelated: supernova film ending explained, action stations catering, how many super bowls did steve mariucci win, field artillery battalion has four batteries, kerala restaurants bay area, ray mentzer workout routine, national black theatre festival 2019, ekstensive metal works build costs, geek aire battery pack, rob pilatus son, quincy park district youth sports, moonee valley transfer station fees, how many wife did odunlade adekola have, comancheros drug bust, kronk fighters where are they now,Related: edinburg, tx newspaper obituaries, how tall is jerry markovic, why is captain hastings not in poirot anymore, , madea family funeral funny lines, how do cert volunteers prepare for disasters quizlet, terri gibbs family, tattletales guest couples, , colorado rockies coaching staff, contract paramedic jobs alaska, butte, montana death notices, caloptima transportation services phone number, cuantos gramos tiene una taza de quinoa cocida, karla technique for r,Related: new braunfels high school baseball roster, aquamarine infinity necklace, korey wise mother, dr j professional projector no signal, stopping progesterone injections at 12 weeks, the company you keep ending explained, what is considered delinquent federal debt, , arlene stuart husband split, the thing in the forest figurative language, what happened to larry hinson, why did bobby holmes leave fantomworks, unique stained glass suncatchers, what can the reader infer from paragraph 1, island gypsy carrot cake recipe,Related: monstera fuzzy roots, converted barn homes for sale in tennessee, nonobstructive bowel gas pattern symptoms, chairman of disney tatum, st clare hospital billing department phone number, taylor eakin and brian bell, does ludwig have a photographic memory, princess elite mini bar setup, spencer construction el centro, what happens when you mix vaseline and toothpaste, stuytown lottery 2022, , derek prince outlines, warframe murmur farm 2021, phrases to express excitement,Related: fatal car accident carson, ca, tim winton blueback interview, natasha fyles parents, elizabeth mackey li cunxin, is cassandra mcshepard married, sun wukong crossover fanfiction, ule kuckhoff, class of 2031 basketball rankings, ski butternut donation request, dog behaviourist scottish borders, mcduffie county warrant list, pillowtalk urban dictionary, warhammer 3 cathay caravan items, crashing in project management solved examples, office space marysville, ca,Related: city of dayton mn building permits, tuscany wedding packages, irish wolfhound rescue victoria, josie’s organics recall 2020, west elm harris sectional leather, celebrities with homes in lake geneva wi, stuart yacht and country club membership cost, sagittarius money horoscope for the week, 2022 chevy 2500 stock front bumper, how to add nyc metrocard to apple wallet, sa police commissioner salary, verified complaint new york sample, windsor school district salary schedule, vernacular architecture of rajasthan case study, dyncorp cal fire pilot jobs,Related: aries sun aries moon leo rising, find a grave hobart, tasmania, top 100 richest rappers in the world 2021, aubrey’s lemon lime chicken calories, malcolm in the middle dude ranch location, ta petro fuel card application, battle of james creek, wellington skyrockets football roster, bell hooks understanding patriarchy mla citation, glendale ca chicken laws, beach resort jobs with employee housing, soccer live scores 2in1 odds crown, mcdonough middle school football, view from my seat carrow road, passaic county mugshots,Related: christopher gregory brothers, mercy health home care youngstown, trailer surge brakes troubleshooting, kennedy space center, fl 32899 address, misconceptions with the key objectives ncetm, outlooker vs outrigger, michael rossi chicago, northcott turtle bay ombre fabric, , surfing accident death, chez zee lemon rosemary cake, missouri pacific railroad contact, what nationality were bilhah and zilpah, intermittent fasting nigerian meal plan example, signing loan documents before closing,Related: coocheer chainsaw 6200, malarkey vista shingles vs owens corning, certificate of structural adequacy mortgage, adam foroughi net worth, gooloo jump starter power bank not charging, miraculous ladybug dark theories, yoga teacher jobs ibiza, angular advanced search filter, 420 friendly hotels washington, dc, abl90 competency test, ati pain management practice challenges, pff offensive tackle rankings2021, george clooney twins photos 2021, how to remove caustic soda residue, sec men’s basketball record book,Related: difference between abwehr and gestapo, explain bilbo’s wavering attitude towards this adventure, seneca county police reports, prosper baseball and softball association, molly stawinoga married, swarcliffe, leeds crime, timothy murphy dallas, logan square philadelphia crime rate, diane lou oswald family tree, real championship belts, why is there a shortage of cement, was steven rinella a heart surgeon, easter sunrise service panama city beach 2021, dolce and gabbana serial number lookup, osrs melee gear progression,Related: san ysidro border wait time live, famous medical laboratory scientists, courtney conlogue partner, afternoon tea delivery angus, brattleboro reformer police log, how much snow did johnstown get yesterday, st ives helicopter rescue today, oxford plains speedway memories, radial immunodiffusion disadvantages, vatican worth trillions, carol orchard hughes biography, sfi trucks approved carriers, fazoli’s baked ziti copycat recipe, accident on canyon road puyallup today, parking on jones street savannah, ga,Related: buying warrants on schwab, ridgeview high school redmond oregon bell schedule, where is billy brown buried, miami dade county jail phone number, kununurra to nt border distance, waterfront homes on strawberry lake, mi, how to find recent arrests california, tahoe blue vodka nutrition facts, diverse actors program 2022, howdy hospitality york, maine, david and walter panzirer, cavalier king charles spaniel breeders idaho, small party rooms rochester, ny, hershey distribution center locations, boca resort membership 2020,Related: interactive brokers trade confirmation email, manning live shooting, convert rich text to plain text salesforce, slavy dcera versovy system, michael joseph nelson actor, luke plummer stagecoach, ares mezzanine partners, power spikes 2 special moves, lausd teacher assistant contract, highway 7 accident mn, why do exercise and fitness myths and misconceptions endure, how much do foster parents get paid in ohio, springfield high school football coach, crystal rogers husband, rent from $600 to $650 in sarasota, fl,Related: ella emhoff and julia garner relationship, bmo mobile deposit, funds availability, crst lease purchase lawsuit, what intermolecular forces are present in c3h7oh, rainbow diffused by raindrops fake, companies that donate to volunteer fire departments, baldi basics in fast edition, preston magistrates sentencing, ark how to spawn dodorex without event, mandalay bay concerts 2022, 2022 tony awards predictions, randwick races drinks menu, beacon theater view from my seat, platform wars: simulating the battle for video game supremacy, anne marion will,Related: boston scientific icd beeping, jamison family missing psychic, the batman 2022 leaked script, what are the simon city royals 13 laws, judith grimes death scene, falconwood crematorium services today, boxer brief with large pouch, tirana post horoskopi, salli richardson siblings, que significa que haya un grillo en la casa, section 8 houses for rent in kernersville, nc, lena blackburne rubbing mud football, rashard higgins father, whg fast track properties, multi family homes for sale orange county, ny,Related: flare capital fellowship, chevelon creek fishing, bachelorette party drink names, 2018 chrysler pacifica dash removal, tlc four weddings where are they now, aaa heating and cooling lawsuit, vanhorn eagle funeral home obituaries, double homicide lima ohio, hibiscus powder in melt and pour soap, randy moss college stats, rent assistance missouri, did cat adams die, which of the following is true regarding stepfamilies quizlet, annual autism conference 2023, how is space exploration viewed through social science lens,Related: first coast news anchor resigns, b2 bistro menu west reading, relevance of indigenous education to modern education, payette, idaho death notices, sitterle homes austin, percentage of nba players with white wives, how do i get philo on my lg smart tv, what happens at the end of terms of endearment, cleo mako mermaids meme, opal aged care investigation, barry soper ex wife, eassist dental billing jobs, is schnadig furniture good quality, alpine milk is good for ulcer, is david spade still alive,Related: como activar un celular de estados unidos en el salvador, eric and kristi flynn, average sick days per year by country, simon blackburn son of tony blackburn, bushnell sportview 4×12, jean makie king, information processing approach to intelligence, fred warner parents nationality, ironzon fingerprint door lock manual, rails + react + typescript, hellish society crossword clue, juventino rosas autobuses, dollar tree christmas tree gnome, why do armenians drive nice cars, westchester county deputy commissioners,Related: what happened to randy savage, behind bars: rookie year where are they now 2020, evergreen ash tree problems, sean cassidy son of ted cassidy, the kate old saybrook seating chart, dermott donnelly, bunnell, fl breaking news, maxx fitness guest policy, honeymoon suite at opryland hotel, apostrophe on social security card, storage unit auction laws washington state, jason martin obituary, commercial electric multimeter mma 8301r manual, home run derby game candystand, news4jax anchors and reporters,Related: drop in the park 1992 lineup, party penthouses melbourne, piedmont hospital directory, wyvern academy staff, chase mitchell harrisburg illinois, c vivian stringer son, cartoon character with buck teeth and glasses, valerie long daughter of richard long, ina garten linguine clam sauce, anzalduas international bridge hours, order of draw lifelabs, steve held broadus mt, 1927 lane cedar chest, peter lazer cause of death, realistic madden 22 sliders,Related: examples of ludus love in the bible, robert kapito house, benton harbor shooting 2022, lawn mower making rattling noise, large vs small elbow macaroni, does omegle report to police, blooket hacks glixzzy, bohemian sausage names, st michael and st martin church hounslow, radisson red room service menu, gregg del valle, process improvement epr bullets, tamika pratt video shooting, tribute funeral home greenville, ohio obituaries, bonneville county police log,Related: phenom basketball st louis, short hairstyles for food service workers, crossroads arena corinth, ms upcoming events, miniature pinscher for sale in austin, tx, zillow houses for rent tuscumbia, al, usps covid tests tracking, swingball pro all surface assembly instructions, cu boulder rescind admission, evicting a family member with no lease in pa, lord londesborough estate, porterville high school bell schedule, when was william morgan born, income based apartments albemarle, nc, jerry richardson grandson, police helicopter auckland noise,Related: huntsville hospital cochran building, taylor russell birthmark, dog life expectancy after heartworm treatment, police auctions philadelphia, pa, bio on deborah walley, kayo bull 200 top speed, do worms eat cilantro, why is magnesium chloride a solid at room temperature, weta uk schedule printable, david gilmour car collection, shein afterpay refund, , biggest ranch in oklahoma, persona 5 sojiro fanfiction, albany wi fireworks 2021,