Eid-ul-Adha 2026 (1447 A.H.) Message
by Hazrat Ameer (V) Prof. Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed
لَنۡ یَّنَالَ اللّٰہَ لُحُوۡمُہَا وَ لَا دِمَآؤُہَا وَ لٰکِنۡ یَّنَالُہُ التَّقۡوٰی مِنۡکُمۡ ؕ
“Have We not given him” [The Holy Quran, 90:8–10]
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
As-salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaato Hu.
Eid ul Adha Mubarak!
I would like to convey my Eid greetings to brothers and sisters of the global Lahore Ahmadiyya jamaat all around the world.
This Eid is referred to as the “Eid of Sacrifice” as it commemorates the great sacrifice offered by Hazrat Ibrahim (may the blessings of Allah be on him). It reminds us of his willingness to sacrifice the life of his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (may the blessings of Allah be on him) in submission to Allah’s command. He was stopped from doing so prior to the actual sacrifice and his willingness to submit was accepted by Allah. This Eid is a reminder of the lesson associated with this event and an admonition that if the need arises, we should not hesitate to make any sacrifice needed in the way of Allah.
The Arabic root word for Qurbani (sacrifice) is qaf, ra, ba (قرب) which also signifies closeness to Allah. This closeness to Allah can only be attained by sacrificing in submission to Allah’s will. As is clear from the above verse from Chapter 22, Al-Hajj, it is not the flesh or blood of the animals that reaches Allah, it is the underlying taqwa (righteousness or awareness of Allah) of the one offering the sacrifice that is appreciated by Allah.
This Eid, let us all make an effort to sacrifice our Nafs al-Ammara or the ego driven self. As Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad said, as we run the knives over the necks of the sacrificial animal, we should also make a decision that we are severing our connection with our Nafs al-Ammara. We should make a resolution to overcome the desires and distractions of our animal self or ego and devote our lives to the service of Allah, to ensure that all our worship and sacrifices are for Allah, that we consider our bodies in life and in death a trust from Allah, the Lord of the worlds. We should consider Him as the only object of our worship, the one without any partners, and remove all idols from our hearts and purify them only for the remembrance of Allah, as the Kabah has been purified of all idols. As a result, Allah who cannot be contained in the heavens and the earth but lives in the heart of a true believer, can find his way to our hearts and grant us the state of Nafs al-Mutma’innah (the soul that is at rest). I pray for a state of complete spiritual peace for all of us.
Professor Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed
Ameer and President
Worldwide Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
23 May 2026