Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Endless praise and thanks be to Allah (swt), who created us and all existence out of nothing, made us aware of His existence, honoured us with faith and allowed us to reach Eid al-Adha once again. Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet (saw) and all the prophets. The act of Qurban is an expression of servitude as old and deep-rooted as human history. Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw) asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What are these sacrifices?” The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “It is the tradition of your father Ibrahim.”[1] That is, Qurban is a form of worship that has continued since Ibrahim (as) and is a manifestation of his submission to Allah. Regarding this truth, the Qur’an says: “Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah. What reaches Him is your piety. Thus He has subjected them to you so that you may glorify Allah for guiding you. And give good news to the doers of good.”^[2]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Qurban also carries the meaning of giving thanks to Allah for the blessings He has granted. By performing the act of sacrifice, a believing servant submits to Allah’s command and demonstrates the awareness of servitude. With every sacrifice, believers renew the memory of the successful test given by Ibrahim (as) and his son Ismail (as) in their absolute obedience to the command of Allah (swt). Through this symbolic act, they also show that they are prepared for a similar submission. Qurban keeps the spirit of brotherhood, mutual help and solidarity alive in society; it makes a huge contribution to the realisation of social justice. Especially in environments where there are poor people who cannot afford to buy meat or can only do so in very limited amounts, the role of Qurban becomes more evident.

Indeed, the Qur’an commands regarding the meat of the sacrifice: “…Eat from it and feed others.”[3] Sharing our Qurban opens the door for us to attain eternal happiness and peace. As our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) also informed us, sharing our Qurban with those in need will make us truly gain in the real sense. On one occasion, the Messenger of Allah (saw) asked how much meat was left from the sheep he had sacrificed. When our mother, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), said that only a shoulder blade remained, he replied:
“O Aisha! Say instead that all of it remains for us except the shoulder blade.”[4] With this, he taught that every bite shared for the sake of Allah is, in fact, the real gain that will remain with us in the eternal life.

Dear Jama’ah!

Today is the day to stand with our suffering brothers and sisters in Palestine, East Turkestan, Syria, Myanmar and many other oppressed lands; a day to feel their cries deep in our hearts. Today is the day to embrace the responsibility of being an ummah; to strengthen our bonds of brotherhood with compassion that exceeds borders. Today is the day to pray to Allah for peace, justice and tranquillity; to unite our duas with the oppressed around the world.

Today is not the celebration of those who corrupt the earth, but of those who build and reform it. It is not the Eid of those who take lives, shed blood and spread fear, but of those who offer peace and strive to give life. Today is the Eid of feeling responsibility toward the poor, the orphan, the widow, the lonely, the helpless, the weak, the stranger, the needy and the migrant. It is the Eid of those who call to truth and justice, virtue and righteousness, against those who deny others the right to live and seek to exist by destroying.

Therefore, let us not see Eid as just a holiday that distance us from one another. Let us use these blessed days to visit our elders, relatives and neighbours, win their hearts and earn a place in their duas. Let us remember our deceased with kindness. Let us share the joy of Eid with orphans and the fatherless. Let us bring the joy of Eid to the elderly and the sick. Let us end resentments, embrace forgiveness and mend broken hearts. Let us strive together to ease the pain of the oppressed and innocent and to keep their hopes alive. Let us make an effort to stand against the oppressors and alongside the oppressed and to struggle against all forms of evil.

May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, who left us the loyalty of Ibrahim (as), the sincerity of Hajar, and the submission of Ismail (as) as the legacy of Eid. May Allah’s mercy, generosity, grace and assistance be upon all believers. Wishing everyone many more Eids filled with good health and peace.

[1] İbn Mâce, Edâhî, 3

[2] Surah Al-Hajj, 22:37

[3] Surah Al-Hajj, 22:36

[4] Tirmizî, Sıfatü’l-Kıyâme, 33

Khutba – The Requirement of Submission: Qurban