Eid al-Adha

As the moon waxes mid-September 2015 much anticipation builds. NASA describes the waxing moon, as perigee, for now it is nearer to planet Earth. When it is full there will be a lunar eclipse making the moon appear red in the USA, Jerusalem, and Mecca. While being interviewed regarding his book, “Four Blood Moons” Christian Evangelical writer Hagee told CBN news “There’s a sense in the world that things are changing and God is trying to communicate with us in a supernatural way.” Synagogues are preparing for Yom Kippur, on September 23rd, which is also known as the Day of Atonement. It is said that more people go to temple on Yom Kippur than any other Jewish holiday. Meanwhile, Muslims from all over the world are gathering at Mecca for the annual Hajj (Pilgrimage), September 21st through the 26th.

Why do Muslims gather at Mecca? The Holy Qur’an states, “And proclaim unto mankind the Pilgrimage. They will come to thee on foot, and on every lean camel, coming by every distant track” (22:28). They gather to worship the God of Prophet Abraham, (peace be upon him) who is the God of the whole universe. Abraham went beyond his father’s practice of worshiping idols. Even the worship of the sun and the moon disappointed Abraham. So deeply did his heart attach to God, The Lord of all the worlds, that he would give up all else to please Him. In the Holy Qur’an it states, “And when (the son of Abraham) was old enough to work with him, (Abraham) said, ’O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering thee. So consider, what thou thinkest of it!’ (His son) replied, ‘O my father, do as thou art commanded; thou wilt find me, if God please, of those who are patient.’ And when they both submitted to the Will of God, and he had thrown him down on his forehead, We called to him: ‘O Abraham, Thou hast indeed fulfilled the dream.’ Thus indeed do We reward those who do good. That surely was a manifest trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice” (37:103-108). As Abraham surrendered his will completely to his beloved God, he was rewarded with the message that brutal human sacrifice was not pleasing to Our Creator. “And who is better in faith than he who submits himself to Allah, and he is a doer of good, and follows the religion of Abraham, the upright? And Allah took Abraham for a special friend” (4:126).

Abraham and his son, Ishmael restored the ancient house of worship at Mecca by the famous Well of Zamzam by the commandment of God. The Well, The House, and even the nearby hills are part of the rituals of Hajj which celebrate God’s merciful care for Abraham’s family. Both the Torah and the Qur’an have related the stories of the time when Prophet Abraham was instructed by God to sacrifice his son. Though the two narrations might differ whether it was Ishmael or Isaac, the moral of the story is the same. God tested both Abraham and his son and they showed their unflinching obedience to their Creator. It is this level of resolute devotion that the followers of Abraham, whether they are Jews, Christians, or Muslims, endeavor to emulate.

A waxing perigee moon over acres of white robed devotees should be an awe inspiring sight for all who believe in a Supreme Being and want to understand what sort of sacrifice is now pleasing to the Lord of all the Worlds. Giving up the comforts of home, the demands of ego, and material things, the pilgrims finish their Hajj by feeding those in need to seek the pleasure of God.