Imam Dawud provides a summary of the virtues of Dhul Hijjah, the importance of ‘Arafah, and the significance of the Udh’hiyah. This brief overview reminds us all of the necessity of observing these 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah with presence and intentionality. May Allah accept from us all! Transcript: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. To Him we turn, and to Him we submit. We send peace and blessings upon our master, our Prophet, and our beloved, Muhammad al-Amin, the Trustworthy; and upon his pure family, his blessed companions, and all those who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment.
O Most Merciful of the Merciful, envelop us in Your mercy. Ya Arham ar-Rahimeen, Ya Arham ar-Rahimeen.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, as we experience these blessed days of Dhul Hijjah—the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar and one of the four sacred months—we should reflect upon the virtues of the tenth of Dhul Hijjah, the Day of Eid al-Adha, also known as Yawm al-Nahr, the Day of Sacrifice.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed, We have granted you abundance. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Surely, those who hate you will be cut off.”
Many scholars of tafsir explain that the command to “pray and sacrifice” refers to the Eid prayer and the sacrifice offered on the Day of Adha. The order is significant: first comes the prayer, then the sacrifice, which takes place after the prayer and khutbah.
For those of us who are not performing Hajj, it is highly recommended to offer a sacrifice during Eid al-Adha or during the Days of Tashriq that follow. Just as sacrifice is required of the pilgrims, it is a strongly encouraged sunnah for those not on Hajj to participate in this sacred act as well.
The symbolism of the sacrifice goes back to our father Ibrahim عليه السلام and his son Isma‘il عليه السلام. Allah tested Ibrahim with the command to sacrifice his son, and both father and son demonstrated complete submission—taslim—to the command of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. In the end, Allah replaced Isma‘il with a ram, affirming that Ibrahim had fulfilled the vision and proven his faith.
Allah also says in the Qur’an:
“Say: Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds.”
Mujahid ibn Jabr رحمه الله تعالى, one of the great students of Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, explained that “my sacrifice” in this verse refers specifically to the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha.
So, my brothers and sisters, those who are able should try to perform the sacrifice themselves. If that is not possible, then one may appoint a charitable organization to perform it on their behalf and distribute the meat to those in need. However, it is beautiful to revive this sunnah personally whenever possible.
Traditionally, the meat is divided into thirds: one third for ourselves and our families, one third for relatives and friends, and one third for the poor. If desired, a larger portion may be given to those in need, but it is recommended that we keep some for ourselves—to cook, share, and enjoy while thanking Allah سبحانه وتعالى for His many blessings.
It is also mentioned that the night before Eid al-Adha is among the blessed nights. In *Kitab al-Umm*, Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله تعالى mentions that there are certain nights during which du‘a is especially likely to be accepted. Among them are the night before Eid al-Fitr and the night before Eid al-Adha.
Likewise, Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه was known to give life to the night of Eid al-Adha through prayer, dhikr, qiyam al-layl, and heartfelt du‘a.
We should take this opportunity to follow the practice of the righteous salaf by spending the night in worship—making du‘a for ourselves, our families, our teachers and mashayikh, our loved ones and friends, and for the entire Ummah and humanity at large to be guided.
May Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless us during these days of Dhul Hijjah and grant us all a joyous and blessed Eid al-Adha.
Wa sallallahu ‘ala nabiyyina Muhammad wa ‘ala alihi wa sallam. Walhamdulillahi rabbil ‘alamin. Related: The Inner Dimensions of the Udhiyah From The MuslimMatters Bookshelf: Hajj And Eid Al-Adha Reads The post The Best Actions for Eid al-Adh’ha [Imam Dawud Walid] appeared first on MuslimMatters.org .