Spirit of sacrifice

To mark the conclusion of the annual Haj pilgrimage which brought together over two million Muslims from around the world at the Holy Kaaba this year, Eidul Azha will be marked throughout Pakistan today. All across the Muslim world, the ritual sacrifice of animals has taken place to recall the heroic obedience of Hazrat Ibrahim (RA) following the command of Allah Almighty. We should however on this occasion also keep in mind that the spirit of sacrifice goes beyond mere slaughter. As we are constantly reminded, every Pakistani needs to give up ostentatiousness and give what he or she can to those in greater need. This is a message emanating from Islam that we need to keep in mind thought the year and not restrict it to Eidul Azha. Of course Eid will be marked with the usual festivities and prayer. The true meaning behind it should however not be lost. Haj brings together millions of Muslims on an equal footing in terms of simplicity and the collective conduct of various rituals. There is no room here for division between the rich and the poor on the basis of ethnicity or any other grounds. It is sad, however, that these differences have crept into the observance of Haj with the occasion being commercialised in many different ways.

In his annual sermon, the grand mufti in the Holy Kaaba called on all Muslims to unite and practise their religion in its true sense. His call for unity it especially significant since a spat between Saudi Arabia and Iran prevented Iranians from attending Haj this year. There is also of course more chaos across the Muslim world. In Yemen conflict has left thousands, especially children, in misery. The same is true in Syria; and Palestine’s long history of suffering too is yet to end. Eid is a good occasion for leaders of the Muslim world to consider these issues and find ways to rebuild harmony. There are of course other issues such as deprivation of populations in so many Muslim countries that need to be collectively addressed. We need to go beyond ritual and consider what can be done in real terms to make a difference. This is the true spirit of sacrifice. Self-interest must be given up for the good of others and thoughts along these lines should dominate Eidul Azha in our country as well as in others.