I was taking a class on the topic of “Purification of Hearts” and in one of the sessions, our teacher mentioned that “eating meat” used to be a sign of luxury back in the days. Only the elite could afford to eat meat. I was surprised because today even middle class average Muslim families cannot imagine their dinner table without the proper share of their protein. She continued to say that one of our pious predecessors stopped eating meat toward the end of his life. Even though it is totally permissible to eat Halal meat in Islam, he was only eating fruits and dry food because he calculated that it takes him more time to chew on meat which he could have spent to worship Allah in better ways. This was his personal take on his purification journey.
This is a great point of reflection for all of us. Believe it or not till this day “eating meat” is a privilege. Many people around the world eagerly wait the entire year for this day of Eid-Ul-Adha so they can have meat for the first time in one year!
Eid-Ul-Adha, commonly known as “Qurbani Eid” is the time of happiness and sacrifice for Muslims around the world. We celebrate the legacy of the great sacrifice performed by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) who was ready to sacrifice his beloved son, Ismail. We are not expected to sacrifice the apple of our eyes but the least we can do is to spend our possessions to distribute meat amongst the most needy. Eating meat is a dream for them that comes true once in a year. Would you join your hands with Projects for Humanity (P4H) to fulfill such dreams this year?
Written by Sharin Shafi Odrita
Our Two Cents on “Qurbani”
