The Reality of Qurbānī (Adapted from the writings of Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānawī

The Reality of Qurbānī (Adapted from the writings of Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānawī

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Why do we perform Qurbānī?

It is narrated that Zayd bin Arqam h said,

قَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللهِ g: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا هَذِهِ الْأَضَاحِيُّ؟ قَالَ: سُنَّةُ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ. قَالُوا: فَمَا لَنَا فِيهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ حَسَنَةٌ. قَالُوا: فَالصُّوفُ، يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ مِنَ الصُّوفِ حَسَنَةٌ.

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah g said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are these sacrifices?’ He g said, ‘The sunnah of your father Ibrāhīm.’ They said, ‘What is there for us in them, Messenger of Allah?’ He g said, ‘For every hair, one reward.’ They said, ‘What about wool, Messenger of Allah?’ He g said, ‘For every hair of wool, one reward.’ Ibn Majah (3127)

Mawlānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānawī r explains that when the Companions j asked about sacrifice (Qurbānī), the Prophet g told them it was the sunnah of Ibrāhīm n. However, this does not mean that every practice of Ibrāhīm n is considered a sunnah to follow, since Ibrāhīm n did many things. Rather, it refers to a specific sunnah or practice of Ibrāhīm n.

A key point we establish from the hadith is that the animal sacrifice is specifically following one particular sunnah of Prophet Ibrāhīm n, not just generally imitating him in everything he did.

What is the reality of the Qurbānī?

The sunnah of Sayyidinā Ibrāhīm n is that he was ready to sacrifice his son out of obedience to Allah c, but Allah c replaced his son with a ram. Our animal sacrifice today represents this same act. One may say the actual sacrifice of Sayyidinā Ibrāhīm n was the sacrifice of his son.

What is the deeper meaning behind this? Imagine how difficult it would be if you were commanded to sacrifice your own child. You would feel a powerful natural resistance to this command. Overcoming this resistance to obey Allah c - putting aside your own desires and feelings for Allah’s sake - is what Sufis call fanāʾ-e-nafs (annihilation of the self). This is the true spirit of sacrifice: the willingness to give up what is most precious to you and overcome your natural desires simply because Allah c commands it. When we sacrifice an animal today, we are practicing this same spiritual principle of putting Allah’s c commands above our own desires.

Shortcomings in the Muslim Ummah regarding Qurbaani

1.     Complete neglect of obligation: Many people with sufficient means do not perform sacrifice at all. This includes:

a.     Families where sacrifice has not been performed for generations,

b.     Village people who are unaware of the obligation,

c.     Those who neglect it due to laziness or carelessness,

d.     Those who avoid it out of miserliness.

2. Doubting its status as worship: Some people have developed doubts about sacrifice being an act of worship, particularly regarding Hajj.

3. Seeking excessively cheap sacrifices: Some people perform sacrifice but make extraordinary efforts to find the cheapest possible share, even if there is something questionable about it (as long as it does not invalidate the sacrifice). This stems from:

a.     Miserliness.

b.     The incorrect belief that the reward is the same regardless of the quality or price of the animal.

4. Performing sacrifice while neglecting rights of creation: Some people perform sacrifice despite being poor or having outstanding debts and obligations to others (ḥuqūq al-ʿibād). They tend to do the following

a.     Ignore their financial obligations to others,

b.     Perform sacrifice out of pride or to maintain tradition,

c.     Borrow money to perform sacrifice,

d.     Sometimes perform multiple shares, even for the deceased, while neglecting obligations to the living.

5. Neglecting the rights of animals (see section below).

Rights of Animals

1. Do not catch and keep an animal locked up if there is no genuine need for it. Taking the offspring of an animal causes great difficulty to its parents.

2. Do not kill an animal for amusement, as hunters usually do, even if benefit can be taken from them.

3. Help and give comfort to an animal that does its work. Do not burden it with more work than it can manage.

4. (Avoid hitting altogether or) do not strike animals beyond limits.

5. If you are going to slaughter an animal, then quickly sharpen the knife as much as possible.

6. Do not keep the animal thirsty and hungry.

7. Do not slaughter animals in front of another.

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