Eid ul Adha Mubarak

Eid ul adha is usually a day that is spent in the company of family and friends. In our home everyone is usually awake at the time of fajr prayers. Mom starts preparing her breakfast meal whilst my brother and dad get ready for the morning Eid prayers that are usually held at the Eidgah. The eidgah is an open piece of land or in some countries it is an open mosque that is situated on the outskirts of the town or city. In our town the Eidgah is reserved specifically for the two eids only. This is of course weather permitting. After the morning Eid prayers, we usually have a few family members and friends over for a sumptuous breakfast. Mom usually prepares a wide variety of dishes ranging from a mixed platter of savouries for starters followed by the main meal which usually constitutes prawns, grilled whole fish, roast chicken with potatoes and salad. Of course the meal usually ends on a sweet note with an assortment of home made cakes and biscuits served with tea. After breakfast, the men usually set off to slaughter the sheep.This is known as udhiya or a blood sacrifice which is carried out solely for the pleasure of God Almighty.The sacrifice of an animal has always been a recognized form of worship in many religions, but in the ‘Shariah’ (Islamic sacred law) of our beloved Prophet (saw) the sacrifice of an animal has been recognized as a form of worship only during the three days of the month Zulhijjah, namely the 10th, 11th, and 12th . Allah Ta’ala says in the Noble Quran:
“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad ) Al- Kauthar (a river in paradise),So pray on to thy lord and sacrifice. For he who makes you angry will be cut off.”(Surah 10)
“And the camels! We have appointed them among the ceremonies of Allah, therein ye have good!”

Muslims across the globe perform the act of udhiya to commemorate the unparalleled sacrifice offered by Prophet Ebrahim (as). God almighty revealed to him a dream that he should sacrifice his son Ismail (as). Of course this was a test of submission from God Almighty. As the Prophet Ebrahim (as) was ready to sacrifice his son, God Almighty miraculously sent down a ram instead and hence saved Ismail (as) from his fate of slaughter. From that day onward it became obligatory for Muslims across the globe to sacrifice an animal. Of course there are many rules and regulations that apply to the whole slaughtering process. You can refer to this link for more info.(http://www.muftisays.com/blog/Seifeddine-M/2162_31-10-2011/some-important-fiqh-concerning-udhiya_qurbani-.html)

In our home, usually once the first sheep is sacrificed, it is cleaned immediately and the liver and legs are brought home to be prepared and cooked. Mom usually sautes the liver in ghee (clarified butter) after it is marinated with a few spices. The legs are usually prepared for dinner as it does take some time to cook. The rest of the meat is usually divided into three parts. One third we keep for ourselves, one third gets distributed amongst family and friends and the remaining one third is given to the poor within the community. The meat can be distributed amongst Muslims and Non Muslims. Once the slaughtering process is over, we usually head over to my maternal grandmother's house for lunch. The afternoon meal usually comprises of a sweet dish like Jardo (sweet rice) or sojee (cooked vermicilli) followed by a rice dish called Biryani. The meal is usually accompanied with a variety of salads and pickles. Four o clock tea is a 'must' in our family and so mom's sister usually bakes a variety of cakes and cookies for tea time. Home made ice creams and desserts are also prepared to cater for those guests who do not wish to have tea. After spending some time with mom's side of the family, we then make our way to visiting the paternal side of the family for dinner. Dad has a huge family made up of 7 brothers (including dad) and two sisters. Each brother takes a turn to host the entire family. The gathering is either held at home or sometimes a venue is booked for the function.Last year, my family played host for the annual Eid ul Adha family gathering. We had the function at the beautiful and tranquil Victorian Guest House situated a stones throw away from our family home. We had a barbeque for 150 guests that was arranged by Unusual Functions and also hired Mr. Herman the Magician to entertain our guests. Each family left the venue with a beautiful four piece Mug and stand set as a rememberance of the event.It was definitely a fun-filled, entertaining evening that my family and I will cherish forever.

Desert Moon would now like to take the opportunity in wishing all Muslims across the globe a very happy and blessed Eid ul Adha. May the coming year be filled with happiness, peace and prosperity. Ameen!