Don't follow the story literally but rather follow the moral of the story. Kill the animal within you and not animal outside as you can "Sacrifice" only that thing which is yours and not others. Their life is not yours!! If possible, kill the animal of hatred, bigotry, laziness, jealousy, lust, untruth lie within. What these poor animals have done to you?? Wish you a more meaningful Id :)

@Dhiraj Kumar GARG: I like your comments - only hope the muslims open their eyes and know the true meaning of sacrifice to God

@Dhiraj Kumar GARG: Dear Dhiraj, Here are few facts which may change your view about sacrificing animals or killing animals: 1) There are 6 billion or more humans on this palnet and they can't just live by eating vegetables, they have to consume animals, including seafood, to survive 2) Human race survived in the stone age by eating animals since they did not know yet how to grow vegetables, so yours and mine ancestors did ate animals 3) Humans eat domestic animals such as chicken, goat, cow etc. and if there is no consumption, these animals would be extinct anyway 4) If men would stop consuming seafood, what would happen to sea ?, since ecology would be disturbed, sea might be overflown by fish and other animals ? 5) Animals eating animals is a natural phenomina, how can you stop it ? 6) All domestic animals' life span is very short (1 to 5 years) comparing to human lifespan thats why all over the world these animals are consumed daily and they are still in abundance. Hope you would understand now why humans kill animals TO SURVIVE

@Dhiraj Kumar GARG: Very well said - that is indeed the moral of the story.

Festivals should bring real joy. Wish one day people will learn to celebrate without slaughtering the animals.

@Dhiraj Kumar GARG: if one cannot sacrifice money to sacrifice an animal,how can he/she sacrifice hatred,bigotry etc you mentioned and if you are a vegeterian then plants and trees are also living beings scientifically so it is a nature cycle but this monumental sacrifice by prophet ibrahim of his young 7 year old son(born when ibrahim and his wife were in their seventies) was an unimaginable obedience to Allahs command which can never be emulated ,so the lesson is obey Allah(our creator)and he will make you successful in this life and in life hereafter as no order from Allah is harmful to anyone,rather always beneficial even if we dont understand the logic (becuase of our lack of knowledge of future)

by the way mr editor its is not a feast or merely a periodical celebration ,eid-ul-azha is associated with Hajj which is a pillar of islam ,so kindly improve your english or if are delberately using such words to undermine and mock sacrifice of ibrahim remember ibrahim was allahs friend(khalilullah) and All ahle kitab(jews,christians and muslims)consider him their prophet