FROM CARE TO SACRIFICE: How Personal Care Enhances the Meaning of Sacrifice

The purpose behind Allah Almighty commanding Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) to sacrifice his son, and making sacrifice an obligation upon the Muslim Ummah, was neither to make people sacrifice their children nor merely to slaughter animals. Rather, the true objective is to keep alive within human beings the spirit of sacrificing the most beloved, valuable, and precious things for the sake of Allah’s command.

Although today no one possesses the same level of devotion and sacrifice demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), and these humble animals can never truly replace the great sacrifice of Prophet Ismail (A.S.), it is still an immense mercy and blessing from Allah سبحانه وتعالى that He, through His compassion, allowed weak human beings to revive this great tradition through the sacrifice of an animal. In this way, people continue to nurture within themselves the spirit of obedience, submission, and readiness for every form of sacrifice in the path of Allah.

However, there are certain aspects related to this practice that deserve attention. Though these matters are largely emotional and spiritual in nature, they can greatly enhance the true spirit, impact, and reward of sacrifice. Because in Qurbani, it is not merely the slaughtered animal that matters, but rather the sincerity, piety, and intention behind the act.

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah, but what reaches Him is your piety.” — Surah Al-Hajj 22:37

The purpose of this discussion is to emphasize that a person’s relationship with the sacrificial animal should be such that when the time of sacrifice arrives, feelings of attachment, love, and separation are genuinely experienced. Such emotions prepare a person to sacrifice every beloved thing for the pleasure of Allah and create, to some extent, a connection with the spirit of the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.).

The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not merely teach his Ummah through words, but also through practical example. Despite living an extremely simple life — to the extent that several days would pass without food being cooked in his home — he still consistently performed Qurbani. During the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet ﷺ sacrificed one hundred camels and personally slaughtered approximately sixty-three or sixty-seven of them with his blessed hands.

It is narrated regarding Sheikh Mahmood ul Hasan رحمہ اللہ that he would keep and raise his sacrificial animal for an entire year, personally caring for and nurturing it so that love and attachment would develop between them. Then, at the time of sacrifice, he would pray:

“O Allah! This is the most beloved possession I own, and I sacrifice it solely for Your pleasure.”

This, in reality, is the true spirit of Qurbani: that a person develops within himself the willingness to offer his most beloved possessions out of love for Allah. For this reason, Islamic jurists have written that the sacrificial animal is offered on behalf of the person himself; in a symbolic sense, the animal stands in place of the sacrifice of one’s own desires and inner self.

When a person personally raises an animal, looks after its food, protection, and care, a natural affection and attachment develops in the heart. It is this bond that makes the spirit of sacrifice more genuine, meaningful, and emotionally impactful at the time of Qurbani.

If sacrifice becomes limited only to purchasing an animal from the market and slaughtering it, then much of the spiritual depth and emotional connection that represent the true message of the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) may gradually be lost.