EDITORIAL: Barka da Sallah

This Sunday, June 16, 2024 in the Gregorian calendar equivalent to 10th Dhul Hijjah of the Islamic Lunar Hijri year 1445 marks the Eid-ul-Adha, literally Feast of Sacrifice. It is one of the two important Islamic Festivals in the year after the Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of the Holy month of Ramadan. On this day, Muslims around the world attend special prayers at Eid grounds, following which they   sacrifice animals ranging from sheep to cattle and camels.

This is in commemoration of the original sacrifice by the Prophet Ibrahim AS, who was directed by Almighty Allah to slaughter his beloved son Prophet Isma’il AS. In an exemplary act of obedience to his creator, the father told the son that he has been ordered to slaughter him and as Qur’an 37:102 retells it, the son replied “O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.” However, on the point of committing the sacrifice, Allah called on Prophet Ibrahim AS, praised him for passing what was a “truly revealing test” and then substituted the son with a ram from the Garden of Eden.

Eid-ul-Adha is therefore a season of sacrifice and total submission to the will of Allah. Muslims renew their commitment to observing the injunctions of their religion through the ritual of animal sacrifice. It is also a time for giving as the meat from the sacrificial animals is not only consumed by the family but also distributed as gifts and charity to friends, neighbours and the less privileged.

The Eid also coincides with the last day of the Hajj pilgrimage to the Holy Ka’aba and its environs located in modern day Saudi Arabia. This is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is uniquely restricted only to those Muslims who have both the physical and financial wherewithal to conduct it once in a lifetime. Some of the Hajj rituals also echo the story of Prophet Ibrahim AS’s acquiescence to sacrifice his son based on Allah’s command. The pilgrims are requested to throw stones at the palaces where humanity’s arch-enemy the cursed Satan tried to detract Prophet Ibrahim AS from obeying the instruction of the almighty Allah. This highlights the need for Muslims throughout the ages to resist temptations that may lead them astray from the true path.

In Nigeria, this year’s Eid-ul-Adha is coming amidst unprecedented economic crisis epitomised by the high rate of inflation. Many intending pilgrims failed to travel for Hajj as the cost has shot up above their means. Nigerians couldn’t even meet up with the slots allocated to them by Saudi authorities unlike previous years when Nigerian pilgrims were always asking for more. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in Nigeria may not afford to sacrifice animals due to the exorbitant cost linked to removal of fuel subsidy and flotation of the Naira coupled with the foot-dragging over the introduction of a new national minimum wage and other mechanisms that will cushion the impacts of the government’s economic policies.

We, at Daily Trust call on Muslims to use this period to pray for the country to be guided right in getting its way out of the current economic difficulties. We also urge them to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice that is inherent in this festival by braving the odds and sharing the little that they have with their neighbours and relatives who may be in worse conditions.

Also, we are calling on our political leaders to understand that the sacrifice that is highlighted by this Eid is not solely expected from the masses. They should seize this opportunity to commit to sacrificing their comfort and entitlements for the betterment of the citizens who voted them into their exalted seats of power. Instead of mouthing platitudes about understanding or feeling the pains of the masses, in lieu of dishing out the oft-repeated mantra that Nigerians are sacrificing their today so that future generations would reap a better tomorrow. Our leaders need to take practical steps in cutting the cost of governance to free up resources for the benefit of poor Nigerians until the economy bounces back.

Meanwhile, we wish all Nigerians Barka da Sallah.