Sacrifice is one of the form of our love and gratitude to Allah SWT. In the Qur’an, Allah has ordered us to sacrifice.
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
“Establish prayer and sacrifice (an nahr).” (QS. Al-Kauthar: 2)
This worship has many wisdom that we cannot miss. The following are the wisdom of sacrifice in Islam that we must know:
1. Deed that is loved by Allah
Sacrifice is one of the deeds that is really loved by Allah SWT.
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « مَا عَمِلَ ابْنُ آدَمَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ عَمَلاً أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ هِرَاقَةِ دَمٍ وَإِنَّهُ لَيَأْتِى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِقُرُونِهَا وَأَظْلاَفِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا وَإِنَّ الدَّمَ لَيَقَعُ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَكَانٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ فَطِيبُوا بِهَا نَفْسًا »
From ‘Aisyah, the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, “It is not on the nahr day human practices a deed that is more loved by Allah than streaming the blood from the sacrificial animals. He will come on the doomsday with horns, nails, hair of the sacrificial animals. And indeed, that blood will reach (the pleasure of) Allah before that blood drop falls to the earth, then clean your soul with sacrifice.” (Hadith Ibn Majah no. 3126 and Tirmidzi no. 1493. This hadith is a dho’if hadith, said Shaykh Al Albani)
2. Get many goodness
By sacrificing, then we will get many goodness. This had been explained by the Prophet in a narrative.
عَنْ أَبِى دَاوُدَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذِهِ الأَضَاحِىُّ قَالَ « سُنَّةُ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ». قَالُوا فَمَا لَنَا فِيهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ « بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ حَسَنَةٌ ». قَالُوا فَالصُّوفُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ « بِكُلِّ شَعَرَةٍ مِنَ الصُّوفِ حَسَنَةٌ ».
From Abu Daud from Zaid bin Arqam, he said, “The companions of the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam asked, “O Prophet, what is the meaning of sacrificial animals like this?” He said: “This is the sunnah (teaching) of your father, Ibrahim.” They asked, “O Prophet, then what will we get with them?” He answered: “Every hair has goodness.” They said, “How about the feathers, O Prophet?” He answered: “From every hair on its feathers, there is a goodness.” (Hadith Ibn Majah no. 3127. Shaykh Al Albani said this hadith was dho’if jiddan)
3. Achieve the higher piety
Sacrifice is a form of our obedience and love to Allah SWT. By sacrificing, then we will achieve the piety that is much higher. Allah Ta’ala said,
لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ
“The camel meat and blood cannot reach (the pleasure of) Allah, however it is the pleasure from you that can reach it.” (QS Al-Hajj: 37)
4. The form of gratitude
Sacrifice also becomes a form of the gratitude of a servant for all graces that are given all this time. Allah said in Al-Baqarah verse 152,
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
“Therefore, remember Me, certainly, I (also) remember you, and be grateful to Me, and do not deny My (grace).”
5. Reminder of the symbols of Ibrahim as
Sacrifice was first done by the Prophet Ibrahim as by sacrificing his son, Ismail as. By participating in the sacrifice, then we will always remember how great the faith of Ibrahim is and this becomes a symbol that we should follow. This case is stated in the Qur’an in Surah As-Saffat verse 102 to 107.
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“Then when the son was (old enough) to try together with Ibrahim, Ibrahim said: “O my son, indeed, I saw in a dream that I slaughtered you. Then think about what you think!” He answered: “O my father, do what is ordered to you; insha Allah, you will find me belonging to the patience people.”
6. Hone the concern to others
By sacrificing, our concern will be more honed. We will become more sensitive individuals towards the condition of other people around us. Allah said,
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“Those believers are actually brothers.” (QS. Al-Hujurat [49]: 10)
By helping people around us, then Allah indirectly will also help us in facing every problem that comes.
The Prophet said, “Allah will continue to help a servant as long as that servant always helps his brother.” (Hadith Bukhari)
7. It is much better than alms
The sacrifice worship has a reward that is much better than giving alms with the same amount of money. Ibnul Qayyim said,
“The slaughter that is done in the noble time is better than giving alms as much as that slaughter. Therefore, if someone gives alms to replace the slaughter obligation on manasik tanattu’ and qiron even though with the alms that is multiplied, of course it cannot match the virtue of udhiyah.” (See Talkhish Book of Ahkamil Udhiyah wadz Dzakaah, page 11-12 and Sahih Fiqh Sunnah, 2: 379)
Those are the 7 wisdom of sacrifice in Islam that need to know. Sacrifice in Islam really gives many benefits, it is either for those who sacrifice or for those who get a part of the sacrifice. Hopefully we are able to be one of the people who sacrifice and belong to the line of pious people. Aamiin.