⛰️ #7 | What Really is Sacrifice?

What Really is Sacrifice?

We are amongst the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah, and rapidly approaching Eid-ul-Adha. Usually when asked about the symbolism of this Eid, our minds instantly turn to the story of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismaeel. This story touches upon so many vital facets of the human experience, but I’d like to focus on a core theme of this beautiful narration that should have a deeper application in our lives: the essence of sacrifice.

In the story of Ibrahim (AS), we explore the origin of the sacrificing tradition we practice every year. However, although we hear it every Eid, it is easy to overlook the greatness of Ibrahim’s faith and the lesson we all can take from it. The sacrifice of Ibrahim is not one to be taken lightly -- he was willing to give up Ismaeel, his son, whom he prayed for years for, and was blessed with his birth while being 86 years of age! Ismaeel represented something very dear to Ibrahim, and is at the essence of what sacrifice really is.

There is no faith without sacrifice. Oftentimes, we become too used to taking the benefits our faith gives us, and gloss over the importance of sacrificing for the sake of our Deen. The ability to wholeheartedly sacrifice is a litmus test for the believer.

But how does sacrifice look today? How can we implement this core tenet of our tradition and faith into our everyday lives?

It is quite simple really. Instead of serving only ourselves and our desires, we sacrifice our time, wealth, sleep, intellect, (and the list goes on) for others! In other words, we use the blessings Allah has given us in the path of serving His creation.

I’ll leave you all with a message that was an enormous wakeup call for me when I first heard it, and I’d love to share it with you.

“Sacrifice is not sacrifice until it hurts you.”

How profound. True sacrifice is being able to step out of our comfort zones to the point that we feel an ache as we give up certain things for the sake of Allah.

Sacrifice is never easy. But it is an adornment for the faith of a believer. As it was for Ibrahim (AS). May we all reach his level of love for Allah. Ameen!