Eid al-Adha (i.e. Feast of Sacrifice) is one of the important religious festivals in the Islamic calendar. The ocassion is not just about festivity and merry-making. Rather, it is a reflection on the submission of the Prophets Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon them) to Allah's commandment.
Every tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah (i.e. the twelfth month) in the lunar calendar is marked and celebrated world-wide as the Eid al-Adha (i.e. The Feast of sacrifice). Eid al-Adha (or Eid of sacrifice) is an annual Islamic festival to commemorate the submission of Prophet Ibrahim (i.e. Abraham) and his son; Isma’il to Allah's commandment.
It is pertinent to say that Eid al-Adha is not just about festivity and merry-making; rather, it is about the reflection on the:
1. Unconditional submission of Prophets Ibrahim and Isma’il to their Lord.
2. Obedience of Prophet Isma’il to his father.
3. Patience and forbearance of Prophet Isma’il.
4. Compensation and rewards of Allah for submission to His Will.
Thus, it is expected of every Muslim to use the occasion of this annual religious festival to:
1. Learn and inculcate the habit of total submission unto the commandments of God in the glorious Qur’an and in the words of the infallibles. That is to say, a Muslim should endeavor to observe the obligatory commandments and abstain from all the prohibitions.
2. Learn to love Allah and His noble Prophet and place them above everyone and everything.
3. Learn forbearance and perseverance during the periods of tribulation. For only those who exercise patience will be compensated by God.
4. Learn to share love and kindness with the close family members and other Muslims. We should divide the meat of the sacrificed animal into three equivalent parts - for our family (i.e. ourselves), for relatives and friends, and for poor people.