Like everything else, it seems we have forgotten the significance, the very core objectives of this holy celebration of Eid-ul-Adha, the true purpose of Sacrifice.
It is verily rather ominous as how everything else in the religion has been only manipulated, degraded in the contrivance of human pride and prejudice and as part of continuous process only worsening!
Even though I fail to abide by all the law and rules of the religion, however, I still could not be less than a believer, because even though I still question a lot of things, but I did perceive some level of solace and understanding in my religion (Islam) to be a believer.
Which is why, it agonizes me, when I see people deviating from the path while demanding to be a true follower in the name of chaos and pride. And, because I am seemingly and visibly modern on the outer side (mostly the way I dress) that goes against the rules of Islam for women, I do not get to really say the moral and even complete visible deviation of others!
To the religious people of this country, as long as they are visibly "religious", they are allowed to perform all kinds of unjust and corruption and assume they will just ask for forgiveness because the religion said "Allah (GOD) is the kindest and will forgive when you ask for forgiveness".
This Eid (like Christmas or Easter), is the 2nd biggest celebration of our religion, and not even 2nd actually, but rather the both Eids (2 Eid in our religion) are equally profound as they hold 2 different types of significance.
This Eid- Eid-Ul-Adha, is all about the profoundness of sacrifice, sacrificing and cleansing one's heart throughout the process, and utmost submission to the almighty, accepting that nothing is truly ours, and we are to remember it through and through and ask for forgiveness for our arrogance, which was derived from possessing certain things, by praying and asking for forgiveness while sacrificing a lamb or cow or goat, whatever "Halal" food is allowed regionally for the religious folks.
The tradition is, before the Eid day, we plan to buy a cow or goat (in our country) for the sacrifice. There are certain rules, but I am not going there as that is not my point.
There are certain rules of dividing the proportion of a sacrificial animal to be divided amongst many people. The richer you are, the more proportion you include in your part. Like a big cow can be divided into 7 proportions or 5, or sometimes if one is rich enough, 1 person can sacrifice an entire cow.
For the most part, the basic system to proceed with the buying of a sacrificial animal is, accumulating money to buy one by calculating how many proportions you are bound to count by the law of Islam and then accumulate money to buy an animal as a form of sacrifice.
However, these days, it rather became a show off for people who are buying expensive cows, who are spending more, the flex "Our cow cost ....BDT!".
The other day, even my uncles did the very same thing! They promised to buy a cow but then backed out later and bought a different one, because the previous one was not "expensive- enough"! And they have to flex to the society, like every other family that "our cow cost ...BDT '', it is as if " if I cannot flex equally what is the point of buying a cow for sacrifice".
And after that comes, the distribution law of meat of the sacrificial animal, which is another drama!
Everything about this holy sacrifice has become a flex, an earthly show off to others, which is the very reason this was ordered by Allah, a process to cleanse your heart and ask for forgiveness.
People forgetting it all.
As I said, I am a limitedly religious individual, however, these hypocrisy, those constant deviation from the true path, bringing disgrace upon the holy path and rules, representing and dishonoring the right things with grace and actually believing that these are the true intentions and lawful actions... is one of the major traits that I started hating the people of my own religion, to the point it is a phobia for me.
To think that they possess the audacity and arrogance that they actually believe they will have all the redemption and atonement just by asking for forgiveness because the Almighty is the kindest and most merciful one.
Well, regardless of one being a believer or not-believer, I discovered gradually after seeking earnestly that, at least the moral judgment my religion teaches is the ultimatum for human beings and I have rather found it rational most of the time and helpful to be precise when I was lost.
Which is the most validating reason for me, to still be a believer even though I failed to maintain the religious activities vigorously.
Well, still, Eid Mubarak to you all đ
Hope everyone is having a wonderful Eid with their friends and family!
May Allah forgive our sins of ignorance and accept our prayers, leading us to the light.
Amen.
All the contents are mine, until mentioned otherwise.