‘Meh, meh’, the sound of Bakras resounded in the street of my house, as the neighbours and I, geared up with full vigour to celebrate the scared ritual of Eid-ul-Azha. The spirit of Eid-ul-Azha ha is the Islamic philosophy of sacrifice. Therefore, the act of Qurbaani and the sharing of meat with the poor and relatives is an important aspect of Eid-ul-Azha ha. And to follow and execute the obligation of the Almighty is a duty upon all affording Muslims. But, I have noticed that often people do not understand how to celebrate the holiday in its true sense.

The entire day is spent on Qurbaani and meat distribution. Whilst Qurbaani is an obligation, God does not stop us from enjoying the day as long as we have offered the sacrifice and fulfilled our duty. So, here are a few tips on how to enjoy this three day holiday:

            The whole experience of Qurbaani- from the bakras to feeding them chaara, and then sacrificing the animal in the name of Allah. Making packets of meat and distributing them is fun and rewarding.

            Whilst most people just laze around and relax on a couch in their lounge, watching TV, you can replace this passive entertainment with a more adventurous, energetic and exciting recreational activity.

            A good idea would be to take advantage of the holidays by travelling up north. The gigantic mountains, lush green trees, and a cool breeze blowing will be a welcome change from the scorching heat of Lahore, even though very crowded at this time of the year.

            Another option can be to visit relatives and friends. Given the busy schedule people have in routine lives, it would be a good idea to take out the time meet your loved ones.

            Eid-ul-Azha can also be the day you promise yourself to give up all of your bad habits, even if it is only for three days. If your intention is true, God the Almighty will accept your repentance and mark it off as a good deed.    

            In spirit, Eid-ul-Azha is all about sharing and caring. It is a ritual which transcends the barriers of class. The poor and the rich all come together. There is no differentiation between the haves and haves not. Everyone is treated equally. But do we really follow the true spirit of Eid-ul-Azha? Try and make this Eid-ul-Azha, a happy occasion, free of all prejudices and hatred. Forgive and forget and continue the journey of goodwill you have embarked upon!

Eid Mubarak!