Mangalore: Bakrid – Celebration of Patience and Sacrifice
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore(SP)
Mangalore, Nov 7: ‘Bakrid’ is a festival backed by sacrifice, devotion, and patience, as compared to Ramzan or Ramadan, which signifies the mental and physical devotion to the Almighty, and where fasting is of foremost importance. Bakrid is also known with the name, ‘Eid Qurban’. Bakrid falls on the tenth day of Dulhaj month as per Arabic calendar.
Those who are well-to-do, sacrifice animals like goat, sheep, or camel on this occasion. The sacrifice is done after offering Eid Namaaz at the mosque. After the slaughter, one third of the meat can be retained by the concerned, and the remaining should be distributed among the poor people and relatives.
Bakrid is related to Prophet Ibrahim, a staunch devotee of the Almighty. He got a male child after he was aged. Ibrahim’s son, Ismail, was looked after with great love and affection by Hazira, mother, and Ibrahim. On a day, on account of Almighty’s intention of gauging the depth of Ibrahim’s devotion to Him, Ibrahim heard a voice in his dream, which directed him to leave his son and wife in a deserted hilly terrain. Ibrahim did what he was told to, and Hazira concurred with his action.
When returning after leaving the child and Hazira there, he could not tolerate the loud wails of the thirsty child, and searched for water on Safa and Merva hills. Frustrated at not finding water, he returned to the child, thinking that the child would have died by then. When he came back, he saw a miracle. A water fountain had started oozing out from beneath the earth near the child’s legs. Ibrahim fed water to the child, and lived with the child there. It is said that the fountain that took birth then continues to feed lacs of devotees who visit Mecca for holy pilgrimage annually, even now.
After Ismail grew up, Ibrhaim returned home. Thereafter, in another dream, he was directed to sacrifice his son. The son, following in the footsteps of his mother, said he was prepared to offer himself to the wishes of the Almighty. When Ibrahim swished his sword at the neck of his son at a place called Mina, he found that the head of a ram fell to the ground instead of his son’s. The Almighty had wanted to test the depth of devotion of Prophet Ibrahim, and not the sacrifice. This is also indicated in chapter 27.37 of Koran, which states that the blood and flesh of the sacrificed animal does not reach Allah, however the ardent devotion to the religious faith reaches Him.
The animal sacrifice represents the sacrifice of son made by Prophet Ibrahim. This is the month in which Muslims undertake holy pilgrimage of Mecca. They pay tributes to the sacrifice and devotion of Irbahim, and patience of Hazira. Prophet Mohammed arranged for this holy annual congregation of the faithful at Mecca to give the message of devotion, patience and sacrifice.
After the sacrifice, Biryani, sweets etc are distributed to relatives, neighbours, and others. The festival gains significance and importance when it is celebrated in an environment of harmony, universal brotherhood, peace, mutual trust and without differentiating people on the basis of their religious or other affiliations. Let us imbibe patience, sacrifice, and devotion to Almighty which Bakrid represents.
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