Why Sacrifice?

WHY SACRIFICE? I t is mentioned in narrations that the Companions (Sahabah) asked the Prophet Muhammad: O Messenger of God, what are these sacrifices? He replied: This is the way of your father Abraham. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3127) So, sacrificing an animal on Eid al-Adha is to remember that great historical event which took place four thousand years ago. Sacrifice means committing to make the life of Prophet Abraham your ideal. It is not just a one-time yearly ritual, but a yearly expression of a lifelong way of living. If a person offers a sacrifice while understanding its real meaning, only then can we expect that they will follow its message throughout the year. And if they do not keep this real meaning in mind on the day of sacrifice, how can we hope that they will make it a model for the rest of the year? Prophet Abraham was born in 2160 BC in the ancient city of Ur in Iraq. According to the Torah, he began thinking deeply at the age of 10. At that time, his people worshipped