Eid ul Adha: Beware of rumours, they spread like wildfire
As the Eid ul Kabir, also called Eid ul Adha is around the corner, preparations are being put in place by Muslims in various parts of the world.
Although this year’s celebration will be a bit different from the usual as Muslims won’t troop in massive numbers to observe the prayer in congregation, we can still always gain the best out of this festival because its sole aim is to gain piety.
READ ALSO: 4 ways Muslims can spend Eid ul Fitr despite the coronavirus
As this festive season is fast approaching, there are some stories we might want to unlearn as they have no basis and are not true in regards to the Eid ul Kabir celebration.
You probably won’t believe if you were told that many of the stories you grew up hearing aren’t in any way true. For example, the story about Ibrahim promising to slaughter his son to Allah was never so, the story about the prophet’s son dying on the day of the festival hence the repetition of the Takbir (Allahu akbar) seven and five times is also never true!
Here, we have gathered 5 of these myths:
1. PROPHET IBRAHIM NEVER PROMISED TO SLAUGHTER HIS SON FOR ALLAH
We all know the popular story about Ibrahim and his wife who had to wait for long before they were given a child. Yes, this is true. However, what is not true about this story was Ibrahim eventually forgetting his promise to Allah. As a matter of fact, Ibrahim never made any promise to Allah to slaughter any child.
The truth about this remains that Ibrahim and his son Ismail were tested by Allah through a revelation when the former was asked to slaughter the latter.
Due to the piety of Allah which was present in the minds of these two people, they obeyed the command of Allah and Ibrahim set out with his son whom he had already agreed to slaughter.
However, on getting there, as Ibrahim was about to slaughter his child, Allah sent down a ram to them in replacement of the child, and Ibrahim asked Ismail to come home with him. It was from this that the Yoruba word ileya was coined.
Read Qur’an 37 vs 100-112 for more on this.
2. COUPLES SHOULD NOT HAVE SEX ON THE DAY OF EID
You probably haven’t heard of this but there are people who believe in this myth. It is believed that if couples should mate on the day of Eid and bear a child through this, that child will grow to become a rogue.
Well, we’re more than glad to tell you that you can have sexual intercourse with your wife on the day of Eid and the child or children will be pious, by the grace of Allah.
The day of Eid is a day of celebration and happiness, and I guess having intercourse with your spouse is surely one way to be happy.
3. THE PROPHET FORGOT HIMSELF AFTER HE LOST HIS SON AND SAID TOO MANY TAKBIRAT (Allahu akbar)
This story isn’t authentic and is not recorded in the Qur’an nor the sunnah (traditions of the prophet). It was never recorded that the prophet (PBUH) lost any of his sons on the day oF Eid neither did he say too many Takbirat because of the loss of his son.
The truth about this story is that the number of takbeerat to do has been stipulated by Allah. The number of takbeerats to do are 7 and 5 in the two rakats respectively.
If the prophet had allegedly been lost in thoughts and an angel had come to remind him, then what need is there for the prophet to continue what must have been a mistake in consequent years?
4. IF YOU FIGHT WITH RAMS, YOU WOULD BE TURNED INTO A RAM ON THE DAY OF QIYAMAH
It is known that some people after having bought their festival ram, set these animals against one another and then make some kind of bet so that when one animal wins, the owner takes the money.
However, it has been said that there is no evidence that these people will be turned into rams on the day of judgement and made to fight one another. Although it is a sin to set animals to fight one another, the punishment for this sin lies with Allah and only He knows what punishment would be meted out to them.
What is known is that animals are creations of Allah and whoever is in charge of the animal should treat it with the fear of Allah and whoever wants to kill an animal should sharpen his knife and make the slitting as easy and quick as possible, he should also cover the eyes of the animal and call the name of Allah before slaughtering.
May Allah make this Eid ul Adha celebration a gainful one for us all and may we gain piety through it. Aamiin.
Taqaballahu minna wa minkum.
Feel free to share your thoughts and comments in the comment box below.
Jazakumulahu khairan for this, and I hope people would get to change their misconception about this. May Allah lead us aright. Eid Mubarak 🤗🤗