Our Lord Almighty commands in the verse I have just recited: “Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.’” [1]
Our Prophet (pbuh) says in the hadith I have just read: “A human does no action from the actions on the days of sacrifice feast more beloved to Allah then sacrifice…”[2]
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Our hearts are once again filled with the excitement of the sacrifice feast which helps us to spiritually get close to Allah Almighty and strengthen our brotherhood. Endless praise and thanks be to our Almighty Lord who let us reach these blessed days. Next Friday, we Muslims are going to observe the feast together. With the delight of good deeds we obtained through our sacrifices and the joy of the feast, we will try to achieve our greatest desire together: the countenance of our Lord.
Honorable Brothers and Sisters!
Sacrifice is the search for being close to Allah Almighty. Sacrifice is the name of submission and loyalty, love and faithfulness, sacrifice and sharing.
Sacrifice is a spiritual journey full of wisdom and lessons. In this journey, we recall Habil and Qabil, the sons of Adam, who were tried for their sincerity and truthfulness. Sincerity and modesty won, while insincerity and greed lost in this trial. Because the condition of acceptance for all prayers sincerity and truthfulness.
Brothers and Sisters!
The memory of Ibrahim and his son Ismail is embedded in the ritual of sacrifice as an example of loyalty and submission. In this trial, Ibrahim and his beloved Ismail showed that anything that we have could be sacrificed on the path of Allah without hesitation. From that day to this, the believers see the ultimate loyalty in Ibrahim and the ultimate submission in Ismail.
And indeed, there is the faithfulness, sacrifice and generosity of our Master Muhammad Mustapha (pbuh) in the ritual of sacrifice. For his ummah, sacrifice has become the name of the trial for sharing, helping and being brothers and sisters.
Dear Muslims!
Our sacrifices get us close to our Lord while giving some meaning and profoundness to our humanity. Sacrifice reminds us our responsibilities above all. It helps us to review the values that we forget in the course of our daily lives and to patiently walk on the straight path. Sacrifice actually implies that we should not be the prisoners of our desires and wants but climb the steps of servitude with sincerity. Because our sacrifice is a statement of sincerity and servitude that we offer to our Lord. Our Lord informs us about this truth with this verse: “Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you.” [3]
Brothers and Sisters!
Sacrifice is a demonstration of our awareness of helping and sharing on the path of Allah. Sacrifice is putting a smile to the faces of the needy, the poor, the destitute and the desolate. It is to share the joy of the feast with those who can’t observe the feast. Sacrifice is getting close to our Lord, while also getting closer to our neighbors, relatives, kith and kin, in short to each other. From this perspective, sacrifice is a touch of brotherhood, a helping hand that we extend towards our brothers whom we don’t know and never seen before, in so many countries that we don’t even know the name of.
Brothers and Sisters!
Just as salah, zakat and fasting; sacrifice is a distinctive ritual. Just as helping the poor, desolate, the needy and doing good; sacrifice is a beautiful prayer. This ritual has conditions and elements of its own. The essential condition in sacrifice is that the person who has enough money or possessions must personally sacrifice the animal that meets the necessary conditions for the countenance of Allah. Therefore, the ritual of sacrifice cannot be transformed to financial aid.
Brothers and Sisters!
The Directorate of Religious Affairs and Turkiye Diyanet Foundation arranged an organization of sacrificing by proxy this year as before. The sacrifices of our generous and benevolent people will be given to the downtrodden and destitute brothers and sisters, both inside our country and abroad. Thus, the bridges of brotherhood will be supported and strengthened. Each sacrifice that our honorable nation give to our brothers and sisters in need will be the proof that humanity and brotherhood are not dead; that the compassion of humans is not exhausted. The sacrifices that show the generosity of our nation will say “We are here” to the helpless, “We are with you” to the needy and “We are together” to the poor.
Brothers and Sisters!
Sacrificial animal donations will be accepted until October 1, and our offices of mufti will continue to serve you on holidays. With this feelings and thoughts, I ask our Lord to let all of us reach the feast in peace and accept our sacrifices.
[1] Al-An-am, 6/162.
[2] At-Tirmidhi, The Book on Sacrifices, 1.
[3] Al-Haj, 22/37.
Written by: General Directorate of Religious Services