Eid-ul-Adha and the 15th Remembrance of 9/11 – How Should Muslims Proceed?

Irfan Rydhan, “Al Mihrab” – Give Back to Your Community

The main purpose of Eid-ul-Adha, is not celebration, but sacrifice. Muslims are commemorating the willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael per God’s command. Just as Christians believe that God replaced Ishmael with a ram, we Muslims follow in Abraham’s footsteps and sacrifice a goat or lamb, and donate a portion of the meat to the poor and needy in our local community. Giving back to the greater community, including people of all faiths or no faith at all, is also part of the Islamic tradition. Muslims should keep this tradition of helping their neighbors and community alive.

The anniversary of Sept. 11th, whether coinciding on Eid-ul-Adha or not, is a good day to give back to your local community. We all know that many firefighters, police and emergency personnel made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in order to help others and save people’s lives that fateful day. Recently I made a pledge to donate to the local firefighters union in the Bay Area and plan to fulfill this pledge on Sept. 11, 2016.

Even if you are unable to donate anything financially, you can still donate your time and efforts and give back in other ways, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating blood at your local Red Cross. Eid-ul-Adha is a day of celebrating the Hajj and the story of Abraham’s sacrifice by spending time with family and giving back to the community. This year should be no different.

Next: Zainab Chaudry