ﺒﺴﻤ ﺎﷲ ﻠﺮﺤﻤﻦ ﻠﺮﺤﻳﻤ
Salaam aleikum dear readers! I am writing so little these days, even though I returned home and have more time on my hands. Yet, I have used that time to complete my dressmaking course – it is 99.99% finished, alhamdulillah. I have also practically finished the draft of my book about my journey to Islam! If I haven’t mentioned anything about this, it was born from a day back in June when I chatted to a social worker at the Home about my reversion journey. With tears in her eyes (and knowing I want to be a writer), she said that this must be my first book, insha’Allah. That very month I began work on it, and have now completed its format. At the moment, I am looking for a publisher before anything can come of it! Please make du’aa for me… J
I wish all my Muslim readers a rather belated Eid Mubarak, and hope that Allah Ta’ala answers all your du’aas. For all my readers who will be returning from Hajj, may Allah Ta’ala accept your Hajj, forgive you all your sins, and grant you a safe journey home. Ameen!
This special time in our Islamic year has been such an emotional time for me – especially as it is my first as a new Muslimah; watching the Hajj images on TV and listening on the radio as the pilgrims chant “Labbaik Allahumma labbaik…” I felt tears come frequently. My heart thirsted to go to the Beitullah… Fasting on the Day of Arafat, I was aware of my attachment to food, and my sorrow at not being able to tuck in a good meal! I realised with a jolt, just how attached I still am to the pleasures of this dunya. I also realised my need to sacrifice of that which is dear to me; all that distracts me from the remembrance of Allah – things like, which pretty, new materials to buy for making skirts – or that novel which I can hardly put down, even though the athaan for Ishaa salaah went off an hour ago! Yes, I admit it: I am guilty of delaying salaah without good reason! :O) Astaghfirullah! I need to change my ways… Then, what sweetness it is to weep tears of taubah and make the most intense, meaningful and attentive salaah in a long while! It is as if Allah SWT gives us a taste of Himself, calling us to come closer to Him.
If only we can keep on coming…
After a week or two of not being with any other Muslims (apart from another visit to the material shop!) I was determined to get out and be with them when Eid came around. Fortunately it was on a Sunday this year, so most people were relaxing at home or with loved ones instead of working. I went to my friend’s house for an informal visit after lunch, and was so delighted when she said that they were planning to go to a qurbaan sacrifice later that afternoon! I couldn’t have asked for anything better; it was the central rite of the day, and provided me with an opportunity to delve into its meaning. Fortunately, I had seen an half-hour documentary on TV earlier that afternoon, about the significance of the rites of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha. With a little education, it made the rites just a little more special.
The qurbaan took place in the grounds of a big house. There were lots of people there; they had been there all day, slaughtering 14 sheep. When I arrived there with my friend and her husband and daughter, there were only three more sheep to go. We greeted others, before going outside to see the action.
A deep hole had been dug in the middle of the garden, and planks were placed on its one edge on the opposite side to the qiblah. Surrounded by the men helping with the slaughtering, a sheep was fetched from the pen out of sight, and placed on its left side, facing the qiblah (the sunnah practice). It was given water from a jug; I was told this is due to the thirst that the dying experience. I remember thinking just how humane this was; to comfort the sheep and make it a little more calm.
Aware that I was going to witness my very first slaughtering – and that I was a rather squeamish type – I got a little nervous, but also felt some excitement. I kept on saying to my friend and another lady that the sheep are blessed, even though they are going to meet their death; that they are like martyrs, because they are part of a sacred ritual – not merely a routine slaughter for the dinner table!
Then the knife was sharpened, brought and placed in position. My heart began to flutter. Not even a second later, the blood began to pour into the hole in torrents; the men taking up the chanting of the Takbeer recited on Eid: “Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, La illaha illallah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahi hamd.” I looked away, before taking another glance, joining in the chanting. The nausea abated in my interest at how they massaged the body to drain out the blood. I saw how perfectly the jugular vein was completely severed. Not a sound was made by the sheep; it was so swift. After a few post-death spasms (resulting from the blood draining out), the sheep was still; it was then dragged to the garage which was turned into a temporary butchery! When the two last sheep were sacrificed, I stood a bit further to the side. Despite my squeamishness, I was fascinated, especially when they began skinning the last one on the spot.
Experiencing this ritual sacrifice of the sheep, I saw firsthand that Islam indeed has the best and most humane manner of slaughtering animals. I was convicted of this. The animals were understandably nervous, yet they were given water to drink; they were handled gently; and when the knife cut, they uttered no sound at all. What could suffer pain and not utter any sound – except that which dies instantly? Allahu Akbar!
One hundred people could feed off each of these sheep; that made food for 1400 people. The significance of the day came to mind. Nabi Ibrahim was on the brink of sacrificing that which was very dear to him – his son, Ismail (alayhimus salaam), and was rewarded by Allah SWT with a substitute – a sheep, which he slaughtered in the way we Muslims still use nowadays. He was willing to give up something dear, and was rewarded with keeping his son alive, as well as being provided with a sheep to sacrifice in his place. Not only that, but, because of his obedience and faithfulness, Allah Ta’ala’s favour was upon him. He became the friend of Allah SWT. In remembering this episode on Eid-ul-Adha, we are reminded to sacrifice of that which is dear to us, thereby earning Allah Ta’ala’s pleasure, as well as helping the needy. In doing so, we, too can become friends of Allah.
“By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give freely of that which you love; and whatever you give, Allah knows it well.” (Sura Imran 3:92)
Salaam
Saadiqah
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