Sacrifice - rules, guidelines and modern issues

 Sacrifice – A means of pleasing Allah Most High

The word “Qurbani” means achieving the closeness of Allah Most High.  Everything that supports a bondsman slave in achieving this comes under the category of sacrifice.  If a person spends his hours and seconds, his capabilities, wealth and empire and his life too, for the sake of obtaining approval and pleasure of Allah Most High, even then the duty of worship is not fulfilled.  We get the above lesson from the auspicious lives of the virtuous bondsmen of Allah Most High.  Especially unique lessons of sacrifice appear in the entire life of Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon Him).

Sacrifice of an animal is commanded and liked by Allah Most High.  Without this, a bondsman cannot acquire piety.  Allah Most High says in the Holy Quran:

You can never attain piety unless you spend (in the cause of Allah) out of that which you like the most; and Allah surely knows well whatever you give away.  Surah Al Imran (3:92)

So pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice (a token of gratitude).  Surah Al Kauthar (108:2)

The aim and purpose of sacrifice is servitude and obedience to Allah Most High.  The meat, blood, etc. does not reach the Lord Almighty, He sees the piety and sincerity of the bondsman.

It is neither the meat (of slaughtered animals) nor their blood that reaches Allah at all but it is the Godwariness that reaches Him from you. Thus has Allah subjected them to you so that you may proclaim Allah’s greatness (while sacrificing) the way He has guided you. And give glad tidings to those who practice spiritual excellence.  Surah Hajj (22:37)