Made the Dream Come True
Dear Islamic brothers! The blessed month of Zul-Hijja-til-Haraam is showering its blessings, goodness, and spiritual enlightenment. In this blessed month, the beloved Khaleel (friend) of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلٰى نَبِـيِّنَا وَعَـلَيْهِ الصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَام, along with his beloved son Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, set a unique example of patience, contentment, and gratitude for us.
On the eighth night of Zul-Hijjah, Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام dreamt that someone said, “Indeed, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has ordered you to sacrifice your son.” On the ninth night of Zul-Hijjah, he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام had the same dream. After he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام saw the same dream once again on the tenth night of Zul-Hijjah, he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام made a firm intention to act upon the dream and to sacrifice his son. (Tafseer Kabeer, vol. 9, pp. 346)
Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام related the whole story to his beloved son Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام and asked, “Now you tell me, what is your opinion about this?”
Upon listening to this blessed dream, Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, who himself was very submissive to the will of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, answered with great submission, which the Glorious Quran states in the following words:
Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: He said, “O my father! Do what you are commanded to do! Allah willing, you will soon find me patiently enduring!” (Part 23, Surah As-Saffaat, Ayah 102).
Tie Me Tightly with the Ropes
It is stated in Tafseer-e-Khaazin that Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام further humbly said to his honorable father:
“Dear father! Tie me up tightly with ropes before you sacrifice me so that I may not move, because I fear my reward may get reduced. Protect your clothes too from the splashes of my blood so that my mother does not become grieved upon looking at them. Sharpen the knife well so that it may slit my throat properly, because death is extremely painful. Make me lie on my front, placing my forehead towards the ground, so that you may not look at my face while sacrificing me. And when you go to my dear mother, please convey my Salam to her. If you consider it appropriate, please give my Qamees [i.e., a long, loose, and full-sleeved shirt] to her; this will help to console her and keep her patient.”
Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام said, “O my son! How helpful you have been to me in carrying out the commandment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ!”
Thereafter, Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام tied his son and made him lie on his front with his forehead placed towards the ground. Having sharpened his knife, Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام looked away and drew the knife across the neck of Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, but the knife did not cut—meaning, his throat was not slit. (Tafseer-e-Khaazin, vol. 4, pp. 22)
Heavenly ram and blessed words
After Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام made Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام lie on the ground to slaughter him, Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام brought a ram from Paradise as Fidyah with the commandment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and uttered loudly from a distance ‘اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ’. Listening to this voice, Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام lifted his head towards the sky and realized that this test from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has turned into ease and a ram has been sent as Fidyah to be sacrificed in place of his son. Delighted, he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام said ‘لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ’. Listening to this, Sayyiduna Isma’eel عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام said, ‘اَللّٰهُ اَكۡبَرُ وَلِلّٰهِ الۡحَمۡدُ’. Since then, the Sunnah of reciting these blessed words by these three most revered and sacred personalities عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام will continue till the Day of Judgement. (Binayah Sharh Hidayah, vol. 3, pp. 130)
Dear Islamic brothers! The above-mentioned blessed words are called ‘Takbeer-e-Tashreeq’. Reciting it [i.e. Takbeer-e-Tashreeq] once loudly is Wajib, whereas reciting it thrice is preferable after all Fard Salahs offered with the first Jama’at of the Masjid from the Fajr Salah of 9th to the ‘Asr Salah of 13th Zul-Hijja-til-Haraam. It is Wajib to recite Takbeer-e-Tashreeq immediately after performing the Salam. The Takbeer-e-Tashreeq is as follows:
اَللهُ اَکْبَرُ ط اَللهُ اَکْبَرُ ط لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَ اللهُ اَکْبَرُ ط اَللهُ اَکْبَرُ ط وَ لِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدُ ط
(Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 779 to 784; Tanveer-ul-Absaar, vol. 3, pp. 71)
Use of meat
The sacrificer can eat the meat of the sacrificed animal and can also give and serve it to the rich as well as the poor. In fact, it is Mustahab for him to eat a little meat. It is better to divide the meat into three shares – one for the poor, one for his relatives and friends and one for his own family. If he keeps all the meat for himself, there is no sin.
A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: To divide the meat of the Qurbani into three shares is Mustahab, not essential. If the sacrificer wants, he can use the entire meat at his home or can give all the meat to his relatives and friends or he may distribute all of it to the poor.
(Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 20, pp. 253)
But goodness lies in this thing that the happy moments of this blessed occasion to be shared with relatives, friends, neighbours and the poor people etc., and after separating the share of the meat of Qurbani, rest of meat should be kept for the poor people so that we keep ourselves away from the evil and epidemics such as greed, miserliness, cutting off relationship, arrogance, pride etc., whereas we inculcate the traits in ourselves such as showing kindness to relatives, brotherhood and treating others gracefully; moreover may we have been mentioned in the supplication of the poor and the destitute.
Does one have to borrow money for the Qurbani?
Dear Islamic brothers! It is a matter of serious concern for those who do not perform their Wajib Qurbani despite being able to do so. Is it not a big loss that they are deprived of such a great reward? Furthermore, they are sinners and deserve Hell-fire. It is stated on page 315 of the 3rd volume of Fatawa Amjadiyyah: If the Qurbani is Wajib for a person and he does not have money at that time, then he should perform the Qurbani even by borrowing money or selling any of his belongings.
Currently, being drifted away from Islamic teachings, Muslims fail to perform this important obligation properly as it deserves to be performed. It is the miserable state of Islamic teachings of our majority living in our society that different Malik-e-Nisab family members living in same house sacrifice merely a goat on behalf of entire family and how an animal should be for sacrifice? Or would any animal carrying any fault invalid their sacrifice? Public is ignorant of all these important facts. After having sacrificed animal, they remain in misconception that they have acted upon the Sunnah of Sayyiduna Ibraheem عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام and they have fulfilled an obligatory act, even though, responsibility of performing an obligatory act still lies with them. It is for the reason, knowledge of laws and rulings of sacrifice are extremely important.