First: On the meaning of Eid:
Eid was called 'Eid' because it returns with joy and happiness to its people. The linguistic origin of 'Eid' is any day of gathering, for Eid is a joy deeply rooted in the heart of every human being. Since humanity began and ascended the ladder of civilization and progress, and set time with appointments, it created stations to refresh the soul at every happy occasion and named those stations 'Eid'. Thus, Eid is an manifestation containing several social and religious meanings.
In the social sense, Eid is a day for renewing and strengthening social bonds based on love, loyalty, and brotherhood. On this day, the rich remember their poor brother, and the strong remember the weak, so charitable people give alms, and then joy encompasses every home; the sun of Eid does not rise without joy filling the heart and smiles appearing on lips.
As for the religious sense, Eid is gratitude to God for the completion of worship, a word that the monotheistic believer does not only say with their tongue but feels in their heart with contentment and reassurance, to appear in their outward actions as joy and rejoicing.
Second: The Eids of the Unitarian Druze community:
The Unitarian Druze community does not have special Eids, and since this community is one of the Islamic sects, the blessed Eid al-Adha holds great importance. If Eid al-Fitr after fasting is a joy for the table of food in this world and a symbol of the joy of the obedient and patient for the quenching of souls from seeing the King, the Holy, in the Hereafter, then Adha is the greatest Eid, as it comes after the hardship of Hajj and drawing closer to God with the prescribed sacrifice.
Third: Eid al-Adha:
When the crescent moon of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah appears each year, it is the custom of the members of the Unitarian Druze community to perform many religious and social duties. A movement of endeavor permeates their souls, exceeding the usual activity, so they head—with the intention of blessing and benefit—to councils, retreats, shrines, mausoleums, and venerable sheikhs, seeking to hear the blessed recitation and religious discourses.
Most families seek blessings by making 'Nuql al-Eid' (Eid snacks/sweets) at home in joy and happiness, and they exchange 'Mujabara' (social greetings), visits, and Eid greetings to seek blessings on this annual occasion, to cleanse hearts, renew ties, reunite, and accept congratulations, following the Almighty's saying: {And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression} [Surah Al-Ma'idah 2].
In addition to the above, it is recommended that the Unitarians dedicate the first ten days, which are called the 'Ten Days of Eid', of the blessed month to chastity, fasting, prayer, and zakat (almsgiving) through charity and good deeds, and to constantly pray and seek forgiveness to attain God's pleasure through righteous deeds and sensing the approach of the noble Eid.
Sheikhs and followers also spend their nights in struggle, recitation, and seeking forgiveness, invoking the noble verse: {By the dawn and ten nights} [Surah Al-Fajr 1-2], embodying Ihram (the state of ritual sanctity) in their limbs and hearts as a way to ensure their intentions are pure to complete the meaning of the sacrifice.
The core of the purposes of 'Adha' from a religious standpoint is the victim that must be offered to God Almighty as a sacrifice to Him, an indication of obedience to Him, and undeniable proof of the creature's willingness to abandon all worldly goods and possessions for the sake of goodness in all its meanings, including repulsion from all opposition, and familiarity with all spiritual gentleness.
A sacrifice (Qurban) is a name for everything one uses to draw closer to God Almighty, which humans have known since the days of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era). The story of Abel and Cain, which is the best witness to the importance of the sacrifice, is the first story in the journey of the prophets since the time of Adam (peace be upon him). It is said that Cain wanted to commit a sin, and his brother Abel forbade him. When they argued, their father said to them, "Offer a sacrifice to God, and whoever's sacrifice God accepts, his word will be accepted." Abel, who was a shepherd, offered the best ram from his flock, and God accepted his sacrifice. Cain, who was a farmer, offered the worst of his wheat, and God did not accept his sacrifice. When their father learned of the news, he congratulated Abel and consoled Cain, saying to him, "Repent to your Lord." But Cain grew intensely angry and said to his brother Abel, "I will surely kill you."
We deduce from this story the acknowledgment of the oneness of the Creator Almighty, the recognition of His messengers and prophets, and the prohibition of forbidden acts and transgressions; it also represents the struggle of the soul between good and evil.
To grasp the meanings of Adha in the Islamic concept, one must return to the tradition of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), who lived approximately two thousand five hundred years before Islam. Abraham (peace be upon him) saw in his dream that God Almighty was commanding him to sacrifice his son, and the dreams of prophets are 'revelation'. Upon waking, the Prophet of God, Abraham (peace be upon him), hastened to carry out the command of God, the Blessed and Exalted, without hesitation. He said to his son, "Let us go and offer a sacrifice to God Almighty." They took a knife and a rope and set off until they were walking between the mountains. His son said to him, "Father, where is your sacrifice?" Abraham (peace be upon him) said to him: {Indeed, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you, so see what you think.} [Surah As-Saffat 102]. The boy submitted and said: {O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if God wills, of the steadfast.} [Surah As-Saffat 102].
When they both submitted—that is, yielded to God's command—a voice called out to Abraham (peace be upon him): {You have fulfilled the vision. Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial (i.e., the evident test). And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.} [Surah As-Saffat 105-106-107]. God sent of His greatness a sacrifice to Abraham, which was a great ram that he slaughtered as a ransom for his son.
The best lesson to be drawn from this story is obedience to God Almighty, contentment, and submission to His will.
Yes, Adha is prayer and slaughter, meaning an offering in gratitude. Interpreters have said that prayer and slaughter are interpreted as the Eid prayer, which is the prayer pure for the face of God, and the slaughter is the sacrificing of the best livestock from the choice wealth of the Arabs; therefore, man must offer the best of what he has to God Almighty.
God Almighty said to the Seal of Prophets and Master of Messengers (peace be upon him): {Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kawthar (Abundance). So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.} [Surah Al-Kawthar 1-2]. It is an invitation to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pray and sacrifice in gratitude for the gift of the Master of abundant goodness, and proof that God's promise is inevitable, and the world is an opportunity for giving. And His saying: {If you are grateful, I will surely increase you} [Surah An-Nisa 147] is a condition for increase after gratitude for His benevolence.
It is mentioned in a Qudsi Hadith: "O My servant, I am generous, so be generous; I am merciful, so be merciful; I am appreciative, so be appreciative." Adha is the embodiment of this Hadith in its highest forms, and every prayer of obedience is an Eid, and every sacrifice of obedience is an Eid, for those who understand the meaning of drawing near through remembrance and giving in the way of God, because it is a deposit in the treasuries of the Kingdom of Heaven seen with the eye of certainty by those who are doers of good. It is the attribute of the righteous, about whom He, the Almighty, said: {Indeed, the righteous will be within gardens and springs} [Al-Hijr 45]. And He also said: {They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness, and from their wealth was a right [given] to the petitioner and the deprived.} [Adh-Dhariyat 17-18-19].
If the meaning of sacrifice is drawing closer to God and ransoming oneself from the torment of Hell, and the believer offers it on Adha, it is a celebration that transcends historical boundaries to be an Eid of the joy of the Hereafter, whose time has not yet come, and it is eternal with no end, meaning no date defines its conclusion.
And if there must be a ransom and a sacrifice worthy of attaining eternal joy, then the meat and blood of livestock—even if they are a mandatory offering—are not enough because they belong to the world of perishability. The remaining essence is the human soul, which God promises if sold to Him with permanent, lasting bliss that does not perish. So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted, and that is the great triumph.
Man is between free will and predestination; he has free will in all that is within his capacities, mental, physical, psychological, and other abilities, and thus he is responsible toward his Creator and his society. The Almighty and Glorified [1] has taught us the concept of Resurrection: that this world is a perishable abode and a temporary station leading to the remaining Afterlife, and that is an inevitable matter promised by the Almighty in many verses of His Noble Book. Perhaps the wisdom behind concealing the time of the Hour is so that man remains in vigilance and haste toward repentance and seeking forgiveness, as He said: {That they may know that the promise of God is truth and that of the Hour there is no doubt.} [Surah Al-Kahf 21], and He also said: {And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all.} [Al-Anbiya 47].
Man's deeds are the scale of his gain and loss, and his righteous deeds in this world are gathered for him in the Hereafter. How much we feel the need to perform the act of sacrifice with all sincerity in our daily lives and in the journey of our societies, homelands, and all of humanity in order to affirm our humanity, both young and old, each of us in his field and within his capacity: the worker in his work, the teacher in his giving, the merchant in his trade, the administrator in his conduct, the student and the adolescent in their opening up, learning, and growth, and the woman and her mission in nursing, upbringing, and refinement. Does duty not call us to sacrifice and to ransom the human within each one of us, according to His saying: {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Surah Az-Zalzalah 7-8].
It is the duty of our children not to forget their heritage and their ancient and noble customs upon which they were raised and which are rooted in their depths. On this occasion, we remind them of the constants that guide those seeking the path of Monotheism (Tawhid), which is based on the principles of belief in Divine Justice, adherence to the limits set by God Almighty for humanity, the effort of man—who is the most honorable of creatures—in knowledge and work, the adoption of reason, wisdom, and moderation in words and deeds, holding fast to virtues, honor, and piety in actions, distinguishing between the lawful and the prohibited, and contentment and submission in every situation.
Issued by the Office of the Sheikh Aql of the Unitarian Druze community - Beirut, on the occasion of the arrival of the blessed Eid al-Adha for the year 1429 AH, corresponding to 2008 AD.
May God bring it back to you with goodness, blessings, and prosperity.
[1] Al-Kawthar: Abundant goodness.
