Honorable Believers!
It was the tenth day of the month of Dhu al Hijjah, in the second year of the Hijrah. Our Prophet (s.a.w.) was going to celebrate Eid al-Adha with his companions for the first time. Animals were going to be slaughtered for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.), and Muslims were going to feel the peace of the Eid in unity and solidarity.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) ordered the women to attend the Eid prayer in the hope for them to enjoy the blessed morning of the Eid and the excitement of the Eid prayer, and be enlightened by the du’a and khutbah. When he (s.a.w.) arrived at the masjid, he greeted the believers and addressed the companions as follows after thanking and praising Allah (s.w.t.): “The first thing to be done on this day (first day of Eid al-Adha) is to perform the Eid prayer; and after returning from the prayer, slaughtering our sacrifices. And whoever does so, he acted according to our Sunnah.”1
Dear Muslims!
In this morning of Eid, one of the rarest days of our lives, we feel the same excitement with our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) and his great companions. We praise our Almighty Lord (s.w.t.), who lets us reach the Eid al-Adha in unity and solidarity and brings us together in the masjids like the shadow of the Ka’bah; and we send salat wa salam to our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.), who is sent as Mercy to the worlds.
Esteemed Believers!
Eids are the holy days on which the brotherhood of faith reaches to the loftiest point. These are the times of happiness that remove the clouds of sorrow from hearts and warm our hearts with the sun of gratitude to Allah. These are the moments of opportunity bestowed upon us by Allah Almighty (s.w.t.) for the acceptance of our du’as, forgiveness of our sins, and perfection of our servitude.
Dear Muslims!
Qurban is, above all, a worship. What is essential in worship is ikhlas (purity of intention) and sincerity. Our Almighty Lord (s.w.t.) states in the Holy Qur’an, “And for every people We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit…”2
Dear Believers!
Today is the Eid al-Adha. Today is the day to embrace and forgive each other, and to refresh ourselves. It is the day to be the hope for our oppressed and victimized brothers and sisters in faraway countries, who welcome the Eid in pain and tears.
On this blessed day, I congratulate the Eid of all Islamic world. May Allah’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon all of us. May the Eid conduce to mercy, justice, guidance and salvation of us.
[1] Ibn Hanbal, IV, 283; Bukhari, ‘Eidayn, 3, 15.
[2] Hajj, 22/34.