Eid-ul adhaa message: a great lesson on striving to end the economic disparity between the poor and the rich

All praise and glory is due to Allah Almighty to whom belongs the kingdoms of the heaven and the earth.  By His special grace we will b commemorating the Eid-ul-Adhaa, this year, on Thursday the 20th December2007.

The festival reminds us about the noble and exemplary sacrifice of Hadrat Ibrahim (as), his wife Hadrat Hajarat Ismael (as).  An important activity in the commemoration of the day is the slaughtering of th sacrificial animals in remembrance of the readiness of Prophet Ibrahim (as) to literally sacrifice his son and the son’s steadfastness and obedience in accepting the offer.

With regards to the sacrificial animals, Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran, “Their flesh reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him.... (Surah Al-Hajj: verse 38).

Brothers and sisters, there are great lessons in the Eid in general, and the sacrificial animals in particular.  The bedrock of all Islamic teachings is that absolute ownership belongs only to Allah Almighty and all our possessions are but trusts from Him.

These trusts are in the form of power, money, knowledge, natural resources and all other provisions. Man and other creatures have their rightful shares in these trusts and each one of them must receive it in order for love, peace and unity to be established.

If the trusts are used for the benefit of those entitled to them, the economic disparity between the rich and the poor will be narrowed and many contemporary political, social disparity between the rich and the poor will be narrowed and many contemporary political, social and economic problems will be solved.

Therefore the Eid and the sacrificial animals remind us that we are only trustees of our possessions; it symbolizes our readiness to forego all useless luxuries, and even our comforts, in order to make over the trusts to the rightful sharers.  It is not a moment for merry-making and lavish expenditure.

It is a moment for killing the evil passions in us like the killing of the sacrificial animals and thinking of how much we can do to fulfil the Islamic commandments, example Zakat, concerning the making over of the trusts to the rightful sharers in order to create a better world.  The early Muslims learnt these lessons and practically applied them thereby making them enjoy the most peaceful co-existence.

Today, many poverty alleviation programme are being implemented but they have not decreased much from the lot of the poor; the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer and the economic disparity between them getting wider.  Let the world and its policy makers learn these beautiful Islamic teachings and apply them in their policy making.

Let us do away with hoarding goods and wealth and let it circulate so that the poor can benefit because hoarding it means depriving others of their shares.

Let us shun all economic activities based on interest is one of the reasons why the economic disparity between the rich and the poor is deepening.  Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran, “Whatever you pay as interest that it may increase the wealth of the people, it does not increase in the sight of Allah” (Surah Al-Rum: verse 40).

Brothers and sisters, it is only when we follow these commandments of the Holy Quran that our Eid will b meritorious; otherwise it will be mere show.  May Allah Almighty enable us to do that Ameen.

I would like to seize this opportunity and blessed occasion to extend to all and sundry, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat the Gambia, EID MUBARAK (A Blessed Festival).  I would also like to extend to all of you the EID MUBARAK and prayers of His Holiness, Hadrat Amirul Momineen, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Msih V (ATBA), Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, who is always praying for the people of this great land for peace, security and prosperity.

May Allah Almighty accept our humble sacrifices and reward everyone abundantly.  May He establish love, peace and affection among us.  May He bless and protect our dear homeland, the Gambia, and grant us all good health, success and prosperity.  Ameen.

Wassalam

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Eid-ul-adhaa message: a great lesson on striving to end the economic disparity between the poor and the rich