New clothes, goats and cows, and yummy meat dishes make up our life on and around Eidul Azha. Even during the days leading up to Eid day, taking care of the sacrificial animal is fun for us. The animal is treated like a pet till the day it is sacrificed.

But while enjoying ourselves, not many of us give much serious thought to why we are doing what we are doing, that is, petting and then sacrificing an animal. Eidul Azha is in commemoration of the command given by Allah to Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to sacrifice his first-born son Ishmael to Him. And it is also a time when Muslims from all over the world converge on Mecca to perform the fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj.

When we sacrifice an animal on Eid, like Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) did, it is indicated of our resolve to consider what God wants us to do over and above what we want to have in life. It is even said that we should buy the animal a few days before Eid so that we can take care of it and start to love it. And so when we sacrifice it, we would be sacrificing something we love. And we should share the meat of the sacrificed animal with the poor and our friends and relatives.

God’s reward to Prophet Ibrahim, when he attempted to sacrifice his son in God’s way, was saving his son from the intended sacrifice. Instead, a sheep was sacrificed as a replacement. You see God rewards every act of ours that is done to fulfil His will.

In fact, obeying God is to move towards the path of success and happiness in life.

This concept of obeying God’s Will and instructions at any cost includes  sharing with others (another important concept of Eidul Azha) in order to love and care for our fellow human beings and humanity in general.

This may all seem a little preachy, but its wisdom goes well beyond the teachings of religion. When you learn to sacrifice or give like that, it no longer remains a sacrifice. In fact, it becomes a bargain. Sacrificing, or giving to others what you treasure, is magical in that whatever you give away eventually finds its way back to you and often in a better form.

The concept of Karma and ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’ is always working in lives of each one of us. Hence it is virtually assured that you would never lose out on anything you give away or share; as it will eventually find its way back to you in one form or the other.

Working on and adopting this concept also helps you become a better person. When you learn to give, you no longer are a slave of your wishes and emotions as you learn to live your life without a desperate need for all your worldly desires and wishes.

Moreover, you also end up developing your spiritual side, staying focused regarding to what really is important in life and, hence, live a better life.

There are many people who have devoted their life for love and care of humanity. People like Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, etc., are well known for their benevolent acts. Apart from that, there have been many national leaders, like Quaid-i-Azam, who revolutionised their countries and nations.

Then, there have been scientists who worked tirelessly for making the lives of human beings better. As you can see for yourself, people have made tremendous sacrifices for the good of humanity, and people at large, in many different ways. Hence such people are loved by God and all of us alike.

Returns are guaranteed for whatever we give away both in this world and in Paradise. So make sure you understand the real spirit of Eidul Azha and the concept of sacrifice that it gives us.

Enjoy this Eid and make this world a better place by learning to do good. The more you share and give away, the more you will get in return as your reward, sooner or later.