The spirit of sacrifice in Islam

On the occasion of Hajj and Eid al-Adha, Muslims around the world perform the ritual sacrifice of an animal in the name of God. This sacrifice has two dimensions: its spiritual essence and its outward practice. Spiritually, the sacrifice represents a commitment, while in its physical form, it signifies this commitment in action. An event from November 1962 illustrates the nature of sacrifice. In the wake of aggression on India’s eastern border by a neighbouring power, a severe threat emerged. During this time, a significant act of support for the nation was seen when 25,000 young men from Ahmedabad collectively resolved to defend the country against external aggression, even at the cost of their lives. Each of them contributed one rupee from their pockets, collecting a total of 25,000 rupees. They then presented this amount to the then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, stating that these 25,000 rupees symbolized their commitment: “To give ourselves to you.”
The spirit of sacrifice embodied in Eid al-Adha is woven into everyday life, pervading a person’s entire existence. It permeates all Islamic acts, meaning that believers should embody this spirit of sacrifice in their lives.
On the day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims perform the sacrifice ritual, accompanied by the recitation of the following words: “My prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for God, the Lord of the worlds” (Quran, 6:162) These words underscore the true essence of the sacrifice as a symbolic covenant. This covenant symbolically extends to one’s entire life, signifying that on Eid al-Adha, individuals pledge their lives to be wholly oriented towards God.
Another fundamental aspect of sacrifice involves becoming a well-wisher for all humanity. People often succumb to feelings of superiority, perceiving others as inferior to themselves.
They desire to reap all the benefits of the world for themselves. The sacrifice of Eid al-Adha awakens this spirit within a believer to renounce their selfish thoughts and to like for others what they like for themselves. The Prophet of Islam has thus commanded: ‘Love for people what you love for yourself.’ (Musnad Ahmad 22132).