GUYANESE the length and breadth of Guyana on Friday observed Eid-ul-Adha, commonly called Qurbani or Udhiyah, with traditional prayers followed by the sacrificing of animals.

At mosques, Muslims gathered to sacrifice and share the meat of animals with the needy and less fortunate during Eid-ul-Adha celebrations.

The day commenced with a brief service and prayers led by various imams and muftis. In Georgetown, at the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), there was a flurry of activities. It was the same at mosques on the West Coast of Demerara.

Imam Haleem Khan said the practice of Qurbani can be traced back to Prophet Ibrahim, who dreamt that Allah had ordered him to sacrifice the thing he loved the most which, in this case, was his son Ismaeel(ISHMAEL). Ibrahim agreed to follow God’s command and was preparing to perform the sacrifice as an act of faith,

However, Khan said Allah intervened and told Ibrahim that he should sacrifice a lamb instead, as he had proven his faith. From that day onward, every Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims around the world would kill animals to commemorate Ibrahim’s intended sacrifice and to remind themselves of self-abnegation (self-denial or self-sacrifice) in the way of Allah.

The imam said Muslim scholars said that the philosophy behind ‘Udhiya’ is that it is a demonstration of submission to Allah, complete obedience to Allah’s will and command and the willingness to sacrifice everything for his pleasure.

“Ibrahim demonstrated this spirit of submission and sacrifice in the best possible manner. When confronted with the challenge of love and allegiance, he chose to submit unconditionally to Allah and suppressed personal desire and love (for his family and child),” the Meten-Meer-Zorg Imam said.

Don Rahim, a Kitty Masjid member, said “it is not the meat, nor the blood that reaches Allah; it is your devotion that reaches Him.”

Rahim added that a true Muslim is one who submits himself/herself completely to the Lord and is willing to follow Allah’s commands completely and obediently.

It is this strength of heart, purity in faith and willing obedience that the Lord desires.

“We are, as Muslims, blessed with countless opportunities to serve our fellow inhabitants of the world. But this involves sacrifice – sacrifice of our time, energies and resources motivated by a desire to bring people together and work with them in the pursuit of creating a society that is built on the ideals of respect, understanding and goodwill,” Rahim explained.

He added: “Promoting justice and peace are responsibilities that rest on the shoulders of all those who are heirs to the Abrahamic tradition and as one such community, let us, as Muslims, be foremost in this struggle.”

Later in the day, Muslims used the opportunity to visit family and friends and to give gifts and money. Additionally, some believers set aside certain amounts of money to prepare food and to buy clothes for those who are in need.