Qurban that we “sacrificed”… The “blood” that we shed

© Muhammad Haniff Hassan, March 2002

Eid Adha has gone with the message of qurban. Soon Muharram will come, bringing with it the message of hijrah.

It is not uncommon for these two events to be welcomed with the stories behind the spirit of qurban and hijrah. We are reminded to refresh our understanding of qurban and hijrah, emulate and analyse ourselves.

Often we are asked to question ourselves;

  • What are the Qurban (sacrifices) you have made?
  • What are the Qurban you are going to make?
  • What are our hijrah efforts?
  • Where were we before?
  • Where are we headed?

Unfortunately, these questions have become so common that we have become immuned to them. Too often that we do not care to respond to them anymore

Perhaps for this Hijrah year we should be asking ourselves a different set of questions. For example;

1. How many people have I made qurban (victimised) through my words or action?
2. Have I made anyone a qurban in the pursuit of my goals?
3. Who are the people I have made qurban in the name of Islam?
4. What are the amal that I have made hijrah from because of my busy schedule and my pursuit of the world?
5. What are the good conducts that I have made “hijrah” from due to the influence of my environment?
6. What are the dakwah efforts that I have made hijrah from due to exhaustion, boredom etc?
7. Who are the friends and family members that I have made hijrah from?

If in answering the above questions we feel that we are free of weakness, then it is best to reflect on the words of Allah;

“Therefore hold not yourselves purified. He knows best who it is that is taqwa.” (An-Najm:32)