Eid-ul adha Q5.03, Q37.102-7

Eid mubarakum, beautiful people!

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I miss the Eid of my childhood – don’t we all? It used to be a yearly gathering of our extended family, parents’ friends and a few of our friends too.

We would awake early in the morning, excited and euphoric; with the aroma of outdoor cooking wafting into our room. We would bathe hastily, put on our specially tailored wears for the Eid and go for the prayers (often forgetting to perform ablution from home, in our exhilaration). Gawking at all the beautiful clothing on various people, we would chat animatedly about how the day would be. My parents would give us some money to give in charity at the Eid ground. After the prayers, we would return home to lots of cooking in an aroma-filled house.

When the goat/ram/cow is slaughtered, we would report for duty as the errand boys and girls and rush to deliver chunks of raw meat to neighbours – both near and far. Why did we hurry to do this? We received money or goodies in return for a message well-delivered from the recipient!

Our house would be filled with joy, laughter, wood smoke, fried meat, food: amala and ewedu, jollof rice, rice with delicious stew and huge pieces of meat. At the end of the day, our feet would ache like mad, we would be exhausted and the house would be a mess…I miss those times!

It is now my turn to create memories for my family. I hope I’ll do a good job in sha Allah.

Anyway, it’s going to be a busy day so I will keep it short and bulleted. Here are some things to note:

• Eid al-Adha (also Day of Nahr) extends from after Eid prayer to 3days after it and ends at sunset on the 13th of Dhul Hijjah
• No ram fights! The animal to be slaughtered should not be a sick, immature animal and should possess no defects; procured lawfully. Recite bismillah and use sharp knife. Read Q5:03

A’isha (R.A) reported that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) commanded that a ram with black legs, black belly and black (circles) round the eyes should be brought to him, so that he should sacrifice it. He said to ‘A’isha: Give me the large knife, and then said: Sharpen it on a stone. She did that. He then took it (the knife) and then the ram; he placed it on the ground and then sacrificed it, saying: Bismillah, Allahumma taqabbal min Muhammad wa aali Muhammad, wa min Ummati Muhammad (In the name of Allah. O Allah, accept (this sacrifice) on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and the Ummah of Muhammad). -Sahih Muslim 1967

• For Eid al-Adha, it is mustahabb (preferred) not to eat anything until one comes back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has offered a sacrifice.
• Ghusl: This should be done before going to the Eid prayer ground
• Dress up in your finest. Use of perfume for men
• Everyone should attend the Eid salaah, even menstruating women.
• Go one way, return the other

Abu Hurairah narrated:
“When Allah’s Messenger would go out on the day of Eid by one route, he would return by another.” Sahih hadith from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 541

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Narrated Al-Bara’: The Prophet (SAW) went towards Al-Baqi (the graveyard at Medina) on the day of Eid al-Adha and offered a two-rakah prayer (of Eid) and then faced us and said: On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice; and whoever does this conforms with our Sunnah; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e. before the prayer), then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a nusuk (sacrifice).
A man stood up and said, ‘O, Messenger of Allah (SAW)! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep.’ The Prophet (SAW) said to him: Slaughter it but a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you.’ -Sahih al-Bukhari 976

• Cut hair and nails after udhiya
• Enjoy the celebration with family and friends
• Most importantly, save a chunk of your udhiya for me!

So, share. What are your childhood memories of Eid al-Adha?