As-Salaamu Alaikum WaRahmatullahi-WaBarakaatuh.
Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak!
God Almighty has reminded us, in the final revelation to mankind, this glorious Quran;
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favours upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your way of life.” (Holy Quran-Chapter 5 Verse 3)”
All gratitude is due to Allah (SWT), Lord of all creation, peace and blessings on the Prophets and the final Prophet to mankind (SAW), his family and companions. I extend Eid Mubarak greetings on behalf of the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana, and pray that Allah, the Almighty, accept all our sacrifices and good deeds.
Eid-ul-Adha is the commemoration of one of the most celebrated Prophets and his family in history – Our father, Ibrahim (peace be upon him), or Abraham. He is known as the common patriarch of what is referred to as the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The day of Eid-ul-Adha is the commemoration of the sacrifices of our father Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and his family. This struggle, at its core, revolves around his absolute and pure devotion to Allah (SWT), GOD Almighty. Him and his family’s willingness to sacrifice his prized possession and that which he loved most, his son Ishmael, fulfilling the commandment of his Lord.
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is described as the forefather of all the Prophets who came after him, including Moses, Jesus, and our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is accorded the highest status in the Holy Quran, and is described in Chapter16: verse 120 as an “Ummah,” a nation.
Imagine a single person referred to as an Ummah. This is partly because the amount of good, his exemplary submission to Allah (SWT), and his sincerity in his worship all embodied to the degree of an entire Ummah, a nation. He was given the title of Khaleellullah, or friend of Allah.
His submission to the Lord is confirmed in the Quran, “When his Lord said to him, “Submit”, he said, “I have submitted [In Islam] to the Lord of the worlds” (Holy Quran-Chapter 2: Verse 131)
Now that Eid-ul-Adha is upon us, how should we commemorate this day? Eid-ul-Adha is a season of reflection, happiness, family bonding, and bridging the gap between the rich and poor, as well as nurturing mutual compassion for all of humanity.
Eid is also an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity despite we are experiencing another year of not being able to observe the Hajj. The Muslim Ummah and the world continues to experience crises and face challenges. We are in a period of a great test, which should motivate us to reflect on the blessings of the Lord which we take for granted.
We must not become complacent during this pandemic, many have lost their loved ones due to COVID-19, and therefore we must give abundant thanks. Let us use this opportunity as an impetus which drives us to be more compassionate to all of humanity. The pandemic does not discriminate, every race, colour, creed or social standing has been affected. We must respond in the spirit of sacrifice, compassion and selflessness.
Eid al-Adha is the celebration of the reformation of the human condition from that of servitude to men to servitude to the Creator of all living and non-living things. We must remain humble and do not fall into the trap of considering ourselves better than others; Remember Allah (SWT) says, “People, we created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into nations and tribes so that you should get to know one another. Allah (SWT) reminds us, “The most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware.” (Holy Quran – Chapter 49: verse 13).
Considering Eid as a unifying factor, I humbly request you to join me in raising our hands in supplicating to The Almighty for Blessings and Protection of our Muslim brethren and all of humanity. Let us pray for peaceful co-existence in Guyana and the entire world. Change begins with the person in the mirror. Our actions must prove that we mean no ill to anyone, and we must remember that we are all part of one humanity.
Each one of us has to be the change that we desire. Verily, Allah (SWT) will not change the condition of a people until they change themselves. (Holy Quran – Chapter 13: Verse 11)
As we enjoy ourselves, let us keep the remembrance of God ever present on our tongues and in our hearts. Let us extend kindness to our less fortunate. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, described the days of Eid. “They are days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah.”
Allah (SWT) reminds us about Prophet Abraham in the Quran, “Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in submission to Allah] and this Prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the Wali (protector and helper) of the believers.” (Holy Quran Chapter 3: Verse 68)
Our Father Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, epitomised the verse of the Quran:
Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us).”
(Holy Quran Surah Al-Imran 3: verse 173)
May Allah (SWT) bless you and your families and make us people who strive to bring benefit to others. Let us become agents of peace, instilling harmony among people, regardless of ethnicity and creed. Let us be protectors of each other.
May GOD bless our nation as we all strive for a better country! May Allah (SWT) show us right as right and help us to follow it, and show us evil as evil and enable us to stay far away from it. I pray our reflection leads us to be true followers of the great Prophet, Patriarch, our father, the Friend of GOD Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him and his family.
Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak!
Al-Hajj Shahabudeen Ahmad
President
CIOG
