As the thousands of Islamic devotees across T&T observe Eid ul-Adha yesterday, Emir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Maulana Ibrahim Bin Yacub says he desires all citizens to fulfil their life’s responsibility to honour their creator and their country.
Bin Yacub said a true Muslim is one that is loyal to God and country. Eid ul-Adha, the greater of the two Eids celebrated by Muslims, is the climax of Hajj, the sacred journey to the holy city of Mecca that is done by over two million Muslims annually.
In T&T, Eid ul-Adha is not a public holiday, therefore those who do not have to work spent yesterday in celebration while others had to go to work after the morning payer and sacrifice.
“My desire is for each and every human, all of us, to be able to fulfil our responsibility to our creator and our responsibility toward our fellow human beings. These two laws are found in each and every true religion of the world: To be able to honour your responsibility to your maker and your fellow human beings. If we have that, the world will be a very beautiful place to live because peace is what we want and we all wish for peace,” Bin Yacub said.
Yesterday, Muslims gathered at their mosques where an Imam admonished them, encouraging them to be good people who were kind, gentle, loving, sympathetic and loyal citizens who live through the teachings of Allah.
When this was done, greetings were exchanged between devotees and those invited and they ate together as Eid ul-Adha represented a time of jubilation.
Families then returned to their homes where they sacrificed a bull, sheep or goat.
Bin Yacub said it is not compulsory that every Muslim sacrifice an animal as this should be done if they have the means to do so. He said some Muslims would join together as a family or community for the ritual of sacrifice.
On Tuesday, Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein said that the journey of sacrifice and selflessness by those attending Hajj reminds all of the importance of obedience to God and parents. Hosein said this was a trait that must be instilled in children.
“We have a duty to the younger generations, as parents and leaders, to inculcate the ideals of hard work, sacrificed and devotions,” Hosein said.