Eid al-Adha is one of the two major festivals in Islam, known as “The Festival of Sacrifice”. It holds deep theological and social significance in Islamic belief.
Commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience
The core event is the story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ismail (Ishmael). In the Qur’an, Allah commanded Ibrahim in a dream to sacrifice his son as a test of faith. Ibrahim submitted, and just as he was about to carry it out, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram.
Significance: It models tawheed – absolute submission and trust in Allah above personal attachment. Muslims are reminded that obedience to Allah comes before everything else.
Connection to Hajj
Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, during the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah. Pilgrims perform the sacrifice in Mina as part of the Hajj rites. For Muslims not on Hajj, the sacrifice is a way to spiritually join in that act of worship.
Significance: It unites Muslims worldwide in one ritual, linking the local community to the global Ummah and to the central pilgrimage.
The act of sacrifice – Qurbani/Udhiyah
Muslims who can afford it slaughter a sheep, goat, cow, or camel after the Eid prayer. The meat is divided into 3 parts: 1/3 for family, 1/3 for relatives/friends, 1/3 for the poor.
Significance:
Spiritual: The sacrifice is not about the blood or meat reaching Allah, but about piety and intention.
Social: It enforces redistribution of wealth and care for the poor, reinforcing community solidarity.
Remembrance: It keeps the story of Ibrahim alive and reminds Muslims of the value of self-sacrifice.
Reinforcement of core Islamic values
Submission and trust: Letting go of what you love for Allah’s sake.
Gratitude: Thanking Allah for provision and life.
Equality and charity: The poor eat meat on a day when many can’t afford it otherwise.
Patience and faith: Ibrahim’s story is a model for enduring trials with trust in Allah.
Spiritual renewal
Eid al-Adha comes after the Day of Arafah, considered the peak of Hajj and a day of forgiveness. The festival marks a point of spiritual reset – sins forgiven, commitment renewed, and the community strengthened.
Eid al-Adha isn’t just a feast. It’s a yearly re-enactment of submission to Allah, a practical act of charity, and a reminder that faith sometimes demands sacrifice
Let examine , what Eid al-Adha actually teaches, and what extremist groups do.
What the doctrine of Eid al-Adha teaches
The sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is tied directly to the Qur’anic story of Ibrahim and Ismail. The core doctrinal points are:
Sacrifice is symbolic of submission to Allah, not aggression toward people: The Qur’an 22:37 states “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him.” The act is meant to reflect obedience and piety, not violence.
The sacrifice is of animals, not humans: Islamic jurisprudence is clear that human sacrifice is forbidden. The story ends with Ismail being replaced by a ram.
Ethical rules for sacrifice: Animals must be treated humanely, and the meat must be shared with family, neighbors, and the poor. The purpose is charity and community cohesion.
Prohibition of killing innocents: Qur’an 5:32 states that killing one innocent person is like killing all of humanity. This is a foundational principle in mainstream Islamic law.
So in doctrine, Eid al-Adha is about surrender, charity, and social responsibility. There is no doctrinal link to killing other people.
What happens in Nigeria and how extremist groups frame it
In Nigeria, attacks on civilians have been carried out by groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. These groups present themselves as Islamic but their actions and stated ideology diverge from mainstream Islamic doctrine in several ways:
Takfir and violence against civilians: They declare Muslims and non-Muslims who disagree with them as apostates or unbelievers, then claim that makes killing them permissible. This contradicts the mainstream prohibition on killing non-combatants and on declaring takfir without strict conditions.
Use of religious symbols: Attacks sometimes occur around religious periods, including during Ramadan or near Eid. Extremist groups use this for propaganda to gain attention and to intimidate. But the timing is a tactical choice, not a doctrinal requirement of Eid al-Adha.
Rejection of state and community structures: Mainstream Islamic practice in Nigeria involves community leaders, scholars, and established institutions. Extremist groups reject these and operate outside that structure.
Nigerian scholars, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and international Islamic bodies have consistently condemned these groups as outside mainstream Islam. The violence is treated as a security and criminal issue, not as religious practice.
Why the confusion happens
Name association: Because the groups use Islamic language and symbols, the violence gets labeled as “Islamic sects” in daily reporting.
Lack of distinction: People who experience the violence see it as coming from groups claiming Islam, so they associate the religion with the act.
Propaganda: Extremist groups intentionally use religious framing to recruit and to legitimize themselves, even when their actions contradict the texts they cite.
Key distinction
Doctrine of Eid al-Adha: Sacrifice of animals, charity, obedience to Allah, prohibition on killing innocents.
Actions of extremist groups: Killing of civilians, rejection of established Islamic legal process, use of violence for political aims. Mainstream Islamic scholars classify this as hirabah – unlawful aggression – not as legitimate jihad or sacrifice.
– Benjamin Ibrahim writes from Lokoja, Kogi state.
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