Background
Hari Raya Haji (which means “great day of the haj” in Malay), also known as Aidiladha or the Great Day of Sacrifice, is a Muslim festival. It is celebrated to mark the Muslim pilgrimage known as the haj. According to Islam, all Muslims who are able to, have to do this pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
The festival is also to remember the story of Ibrahim and his son Ismail, both of whom were said to have been guided by Allah to build the Kaaba: a square stone building in the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca that is considered by Muslims to be their most holy site. It is in the direction of the Kabaa that all Muslims face during prayers.
According to the story found in the Quran, Allah one day commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of his obedience. Just as Ibrahim was about to carry out this command, Allah intervened to stop him and allowed for the sacrifice of a sheep in place of his son. Ibrahim’s exemplary act of sacrifice and obedience to Allah is remembered during Hari Raya Haji through the ritual of korban, which involves the sacrificial offering of live animals such as sheep, goats or cows.
Rituals and practices
On the day of the festival, Muslims first gather in mosques for prayers before carrying out the korban ritual.
The korban is one of the most significant rituals of Hari Raya Haji. The ritual can be done individually or as a group. The sacrifice ritual begins by facing the animal to be sacrificed in the direction of the Kabaa and uttering a prayer. The jugular vein at the animal’s throat is then slit quickly to ensure a quick death, usually within a minute. The animal is then cleaned and its meat carved up for distribution. The person who sacrifices the animal keeps one third of the meat, while the remaining two thirds are shared with friends, neighbours and the poor and needy.
Questions:
1. Do you know of any other religion that uses this concept of sacrifice? Why are there sacrifices in that religion?
2. If God asked you to sacrifice one thing that you love, what would it be and why?
3. Volunteer to share about any instances/experiences they have had about sacrificing something (time, money, relationship, etc) for their faith.