<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Millions of Muslims across the world have begun celebrating the three-day Eid-al-Adha. One of the most important festivals in Islam, Eid-al-Adha takes place after the end of Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to give up his beloved son on Allah’s command.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>For not only are wars for self determination and basic human rights still being fought by Muslims around the world, in addition to these physical struggles (both in the East, and even more so for those Muslims living in the West), the struggle for the heart, mind, and soul of each believer within the religion of Islam is a continual battle.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Everywhere we turn, our faith is both subtly and overtly belittled, and we are continually pressured to adopt Western ways, to assimilate into the so-called “more civilized culture.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, many well-meaning individuals in the Western world fall victim in their own way to this legacy of colonialism and even more so to the legacy of the Crusades.</div><div><br></div><div>It is recounted in Quran that Allah appeared to Prophet Ibrahim in a dream and commanded him to sacrifice his most dear possession as an act of obedience and submission. The father blindfolded his son, Ismail, who readily agreed for the sacrifice, and slit his throat.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>However, when Ibrahim opened his eyes, he saw Ismail was alive, and an animal had been killed instead.</div><div><br></div><div>A version of the story is also found in the Old Testament and the Torah.</div><div><br></div><div>Many Muslims buy animals, rear them with love, and then offer them to God, so as to feel the pain of Prophet Ibrahim.</div><div><br></div><div>Islam, however, recognises that it’s not possible for every Muslim to actually rear an animal himself. Such people can empower others to perform the sacrifice on their behalf, and pay for it.</div><div><br></div><div>Sharing, not pity</div><div>Sacrificing on Eid-al-Adha is mandatory in Islam only for those who can afford it. They have to give a third of the meat to the poor and the needy.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The festival ensures that even those who can’t afford meat get plenty of it at least once a year. In Mecca, the meat of the animals slaughtered by the Haajis is distributed to third-world countries too.</div><div><br></div><div>In fact, charity is clearly codified in Islam – one-third of the meat during Eid-Al-Adha, and a portion of your earning as zakat on other days.</div><div><br></div><div>Because the sharing is mandated in the religion, the poor can accept it with dignity. There’s nothing demeaning about accepting the meat (or money as zakat) as the one taking it is only helping the giver fulfil his obligations to Allah, according to reports.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>