The Urdu and Persian word "Qurbani" is derived from the
Arabic word 'Qurban'. It means an act performed to seek nearness to Almighty Allah and to
seek His good pleasure. Originally, the word 'Qurban' included all acts of charity because
the purpose of charity is nothing but to seek Allah's pleasure. But, in precise religious
terminology, the word was later confined to the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the
sake of Allah.
The sacrifice of an animal has always been treated as a recognised form
of worship in all religious orders originating from a divine book. Even in pagan
societies, the sacrifice of an animal is recognised as a form of worship, but it is done
in the name of some idols and not in the name of Allah, a practice totally rejected by
Islam.
In the Sharia of our beloved Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam)
the sacrifice of an animal has been recognised as a form of worship only during three days
of the month of Dhul Hijjah, namely the 10th, 11th and 12th of the month. This is to
commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by Prophet Sayyidina Ibrahim (Alayhis
salaam) when he, in pursuance to a command of Allah conveyed to him in a dream, prepared
himself to slaughter his beloved son Sayyidinah Ismail (Alayhis salaam) and actually did
so, but Allah Almighty, after testing the ultimate limits of his submission, sent down a
sheep and saved his son from the logical fate of slaughter. It is from that time onwards
that sacrifice of an animal became an obligatory duty to be performed by every well-to-do
Muslim.
Qurbani is a demonstration to Allah and proof of complete obedience to
Allah's will or command. When a Muslim offers Qurbani, this exactly what he intends to
prove. Thus, the Qurbani offered by a Muslim signifies that he is slave of Allah at his
best and that he would not hesitate even for a moment, once he receives an absolute
command from his Creator, to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even it be at the
price of his life and possessions. When a true and perfect Muslim receives such a command
from Allah, his natural instincts stop him from indulging in the futile search for the
reasoning behind the command; nor does he make his obedience dependent upon the command's
'reasonableness' as perceived through his limited understanding. He knows that Allah is
All-Knowing, All- Wise and that his own ability to reason cannot encompass the knowledge
and wisdom underlying the divine command, even if he cannot find any reason or wisdom
behind it.
This is exactly what the Prophet Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam) did.
Apparently, there was no reason why a father should slaughter his innocent son. But, when
came the command of Allah, he never asked about the reason for that command, nor did he
hesitate to obey it. Even his minor son, when asked by his father about the dream he had
seen, never questioned the legitimacy of the command, nor did he pine or whine about it,
nor did he ask for one good reason why he was being slaughtered. The one only response he
made was:
"Father, do what you have been ordered to do. You shall find
me, God willing, among the patient".
The present-day Qurbani is offered in memory of this great model of
submission set before us by the great father and the great son. Qurbani must be offered in
our time emulating the same ideal and attitude of submission.
This then is the true philosophy of Qurbani. With this in mind, one can
easily unveil the fallacy of those who raise objections against Qurbani on the basis of
economic calculations and lounge statistics and make it out to be a wastage of money,
resource and livestock. Unable to see beyond mundane benefits, they cannot understand the
spirit Islam wants to implant and nourish among its followers, the spirit of total
submission to Allah's will equips man with the most superior qualities so necessary to
keep humanity in a state of lasting peace and welfare.
Qurbani is nothing but a powerful symbol of the required human conduct
vis-a-vis the divine commands, however, "irrational" or "uneconomic"
they may seem to be in their appearance. Thus, the distrustful quest for mundane economic
benefits behind Qurbani is, in fact the negation of its real philosophy, and the very
spirit underlying it.
No doubt, there are, in every form of worship ordained by Allah,
certain worldly benefits too, but they are not the main purpose of these prescribed
duties, nor should they be treated as preconditions to submission and obedience. All acts
of worship, including Qurbani, must be carried out with the spirit of total submission to
Allah, irrespective of their economic, social or political benefits. This is what Ibrahim (Alayhis
salaam) did, and this is what every true Muslim is required to do.
WARNING FOR THOSE WHO IGNORE QURBANI
There is a Hadith from Hadhrat Abu Hurayra (Radhiallaahu Anhu)
that Rasulullah (Sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, 'That person who has the means
of performing Qurbani but does not do so should not even come near the Eidgah (Place of
Eid Salaat).