Tadhiyah fi `Idul Adha

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

الله اكبر الله اكبر الله اكبر

الله اكبر ولله الحمد

(Allah the Al-Mighty. Allah the Al-Mighty. Allah the Al-Mighty. Allah the Al-Mighty, and all praises belong to Allah).

My dear sahabahs,

how are you today? On the second day of `Idul Adha (11 Zulhijjah), according to Malaysian time zone..

Have we said our thanks to Allah Taala today? In fact, the word "thanks" falls short of all the blessings, gifts or ni`mah (نعمة) that Ar-Razzaq (Maha pemberi Rezeki) gives us. The right way, or the appropriate way to thank Allah Taala, is by following the way prophet Muhammad saw thanks Him, which is; by saying "Alhamdulillah". That phrase, "alhamdulillah" or the hamdalah phrase, is the best and most appropriate way of expressing our thanks, as his creations, towards Allah Taala.

During hari raya or `Id/`Aid (عيد), muslims have an even more specific phrase to thank Allah and to celebrate the presence of `Id. And that is by saying "takbir" or "Allahu Akbar".

In Islam, there are two `Id, which is `Idul Fitri, starting from 1st Syawal, and `Idul Adha, on the 10th of Zulhijjah every year. During both `Id, muslims say takbir as a way of welcoming the two joyous occasions.

While `Idul Fitri is about celebrating muslims' victory of holding their nafs/ fasting during the month of Ramadhan, `Idul Adha is about a different story. It is a story..of tadhiyah.

Tadhiyah?

Ma makna tadhiyah (what is the meaning of tadhiyah)?

It means sacrifice.

(Thank you to a friend of mine who gave me this new vocabulary. I will remember it, and will cherish it. :) )

From what little knowledge that I have about the history of `Idul Adha, I will try to share with you today. And perhaps you, my friend, will fill my holes with some knowledge of your own. (Let's fill each other's holes, shall we? -smiles-)

`Idul Adha is about tadhiyah.

It is about sacrifice.

Where did it all began?

The story of Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail's tadhiyah

What really happened during their time, that caused their story to be remembered for generations of muslims to come, which is now known as "`Idul Adha"?

Relationship between God and His `Abd

Nabi Ibrahim a.s, if we read about him, we will find that this man, is really extraordinary. At least, I find him, amazing.

Not because he is a Nabi. Well, that is one thing. But as a human being...subhanallah. He is really an inspiration, for a human to find his creator.

I am not sure from which surah in Al-Quran which tells the story of Nabi Ibrahim a.s, in the quest of finding the true purpose and meaning of life. (I'm deeply sorry)

His father, Azar makes idols, carved from wood, stone or made out of earth. His community worships these lifeless idols. Nabi Ibrahim on the other hand, being a smart kid, cannot see the purpose of worshiping dolls or idols which cannot benefit you, or even harm you.

And so he starts to think, of a real supreme power. For this world is created in such a way that there was balance and harmony. Thus, there must be a supreme power maintaining this delicate balance.

He looked up in the sky and saw the sun.

Oh, such a bright and big thing in the sky. Full of heat and power, and he thought, "This powerful thing must be my Lord, my creator." And so he started worshipping the sun.

But when night came, the sun went down and was gone. Nabi Ibrahim a.s thought, "If the sun was my creator, he would not leave me like that." and then he caught sight of the moon, reigning supreme in the night sky. "Ah, this must be my creator," thought Nabi Ibrahim a.s and started worshipping it.

What do you think happened? (smiles)

The moon and the sun - both are creations

Yes, when daylight came again, it was the moon's turn to disappear. Nabi Ibrahim a.s was frustrated as he thought, "If the moon was my creator, it would not have disappeared. If the sun was my creator, it too would not have disappeared. A supreme creator is powerful and is forever existing. My creator would not leave me like that".

(Ok. Again all this writing is based solely of whatever small knowledge I have gathered while growing up. It is small and is not enough. I'm terribly sorry if I have misled anyone here. Please, DO CORRECT me. And please, let us read more on the history of our Anbiya'.)

...To me, this is "wow". Because Nabi Ibrahim a.s figured that all on his own. I mean, I believe Allah Taala guided him with His hidayah, but for Nabi Ibrahim's part as a human, to persist in finding the true answer, in finding who created him and this entire world, his journey, is amazing. And take note of his observation: The supreme creator is one who is Forever Lasting, The First and the Last (al-Awwal wa al Akhir).

And there are many other amazing stories about Nabi Ibrahim a.s, in al-Quran and sirah books, which I believed is based on Nabi Muhammad's saw hadith. Stories that showes the close relationship between him (Ibrahim) and Allah Taala. So close that Allah Taala places him in the seventh sky (petala langit ke-7), which is the closest place a human can be to Allah. Because during Mikraj, it is told that Nabi Muhammad saw journeyed from earth to Sidratul muntaha while passing through the seven skies. On each sky Nabi Muhammad saw met with different Nabi, and the last sky, the seventh, was where he met Nabi Ibrahim a.s. Then Nabi Muhammad saw continued to Sidratul muntaha, where he met Allah Taala. So, that is why I said Nabi Ibrahim a.s is very close to Allah..because right after the seventh sky is Sidratul Muntaha. (Purely from my understanding)

Don't get me wrong. Allah Taala is not in a specific place. NO. For He is the Creator of places, and he does not need to be in any specific place. Even when this universe is destroyed, Allah Taala will still exist, for He is al-Awwal wa al-Akhir, while we would all have perished.

Coot coot!! (sound of train's whistle)

And ummu hurairah manages to stray of the tracks again...(terkeluar landasan tajuk lagi..)

(smiles)

Anyway, I just want to emphasize the strong spiritual bond Nabi Ibrahim a.s has with Allah Taala.

Because that will be crucial in understanding, the decision Nabi Ibrahim a.s made, that resulted in the celebration we now know as `Idul Adha.

The test

When Nabi Ismail a.s, Nabi ibrahim's son had grown up, Allah Taala sent a test...for both of them.

Jibril a.s, the angel of wahyu, sent dreams to Nabi Ibrahim. In those dreams, Nabi Ibrahim dreamt, that he was slaughtering his own son, Nabi Ismail a.s.

Slaughtering, as in laying his son down on the ground and putting a chopper to his son's neck, ready for the KILL.

Three times he dreamt the same dream (or was it more than 3). At first he could not believe it, but then when the dream continued many times, nabi Ibrahim knew it is Allah's command to him. And he must do it.

This is the sacrifice or tadhiyah, that he must do.

Allright, let's take a break for one moment.

Let us just...just think for one second.

Father and son...

If any of us, where in Nabi Ibrahim's place...would we have done it?

Would we have...slaughtered our own son..with our own hands?

And why should we??

This is ridiculous! My beloved son! From my own flesh and blood! To sacrifice my own son, and FOR WHAT?

Lillahi Taala (For the sake of Allah Taala).

That was exactly what Nabi Ibrahim a.s, and Nabi Ismail a.s did. BOTH of them, they did it. Lillahi Taala.

When we would have thought it ridiculous, that thought never even crossed their minds (Nabi Ibrahim and Ismail).

They both made tadhiyah, simply because, Allah had commanded them to do so.

Had it not been for their strong faith in Allah, they would never have managed to do it.

And for that huge sacrifice, which is to sacrifice their own wants and replace it with Allah's command, Allah Taala spared Nabi Ismail, and replaced it with a kibasy (some kind of goat) as told in al-Quran.

And that is the reason behind the slaughtering of animals (usually cows, goats, camels) during the 3 days after 10 Zulhijjah (11,12 and 13), which begins after khutbah of Solat sunat `Idul Adha on 10 Zulhijjah until before sunset on 13 Zulhijjah. The meat from the slaughtered animals (korban) is given to the one who bought the animal and also the poor.

Tadhiyah/sacrifice/korban of animals during `Idul Adha

Our tadhiyah?

The spirit of sacrifice is what `Idul Adha is all about. Nabi Ibrahim a.s was prepared to sacrifice his son's life, for the sake of Allah. Nabi Ismail a.s was prepared to give his life, to fullfill Allah's command to his father.

What about us today? Where is our tadhiyah?

When our homes are stocked with food, while there are many houses out there who have nothing in their fridges. (oh wait, they don't even have a fridge)

We can feed our children with 3 full meals a day, but our brothers are struggling to feed their families for even just one meal.

Our bellies are warm and fat, while their body is thin and almost lifeless.

Where are we when they need us?

Why can't we spare a little portion of the rizk (رزق) that Allah has given us?

Why can't we do tadhiyah to our brothers and sisters of the same akidah, when it is not even we who holds the key to all the rizk on this earth?

Why can't we sacrifice even a little of our wealth to our brothers?

Is it as hard as the sacrifice done by Nabi Ibrahim and Nabi Ismail?

Is it?

Is it really?

Nobody can answer that, but ourselves. Each answer is also different. Some may choose not to answer at all, if you get my meaning. But for those that do, know that Allah will multiply your wealth even more, with one condition; that your heart is sincere in doing tadhiyah.

Tadhiyah outside Idul Adha

What kind of tadhiyah can you think of, besides from `Idul Adha?

That's right. Sodaqoh (صدقة).

Sodaqoh means freely giving your possessions to someone who needs them. Like money, clothes, food. In other words, it is donation or charity.

Sometimes you may not feel like giving away your possessions. But that is why I'm calling with the spirit of tadhiyah. It's about sacrifice.

Yes, you love your possessions, but there are some people out there who need them more than you do. Yes, it is hard to let go, but that is why it's called a sacrifice.

And another thing, about paying alms or zakat. Sometimes, it may feel hard, or you are reluctant to pay zakat. But why not think it as a form of tadhiyah? As a sacrifice, although in Islam, it is an obligation for those who have substantial wealth.

Tadhiyah. Tadhiyah. Tadhiyah.

Let's carry tadhiyah with us, throughout the year, not just leaving it during 10-13 Zulhijjah only.

Carry the spirit of tadhiyah all year round, so that when the next time Zulhijjah meets us again, we will be more ready and eager to do the special tadhiyah, in remembrance of Nabi Ibrahim and Nabi Ismail's sacrifice, lillahi Taala.

Don't forget, lillahi Taala. :)