Wednesday 28 June 2023 na special day for Muslims across di world as na day of Eid el Adha wey Muslims dey sacrifice animals.
Dis sacrifice na for dem to fit gain reward from Allah.
Dhul Hijja (Islamic month) na one sacred month in Islam, wey Muslims perform di Ḥajj (Holy Pilgrimage) as well as observe di Festival of Sacrifice.
To celebrate the day di Federal goment of Nigeria declare Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June as public holidays to mark 2023 Eid el Kabir.
Already many Muslims don already buy dia sheep, cattle, goat or camel in preparation for di ‘big day’ despite many odas for Nigeria dey complain of harsh economy wey no allow dem buy dis year.
Di day before Hajj
A day before dat one na fasting day for Muslims wey no travel for Hajj though – e no dey compulsory but clerics say na special fasting wey dey make God delete two years’ worth of sins from any Muslim record.
Sheik Muhammad Abdulrahman wey be imam for one mosque for Kano state tok say fasting a day before Eid dey important for muslims.
“So di whole month na blessed month but di first ten days starting from di first to when you kill animal on na special times to gain reward.”
“Dis fasting a day before go make God clean pesin sins from last year and anoda year wey neva come sef.”
Sheik Abubakar Isah na imam for Kano state wey dey Northern Nigeria and e tok say based on teachings from di prophet evri Muslim wey go slaughter animal on Eid el Kabir day no suppose cut nails or shave any hairs from body.
According to di Sheik dis teaching no be compulsory but na one wey carry heavy reward on di scale of good deeds for Muslims wey adhere.
“So from di first day of Dhul Hijjah month any Muslim wey go slaughter animal suppose maintain all im bodily hairs and nails for finger until Eid El Kabir day after slaughtering im animal before e go shave and cut nails.
“No be compulsory but heavy reward dey for Muslims wey respect dis prophetic teaching.”
Significance of Eid el Kabir to Muslims
Sheik Abubakar say Eid el Kabir day na very important day for Muslims across di world and day full of plenty rewards for doing good deeds.
Di most important tin on dat day na di slaughter of animals wey imam tok say start from when prophet Ibrahim AS (Abraham) get ram from heaven to slaughter.
“So na from prophet Abraham di tradition start becos God send am ram to replace im pikin Isma’el wey e bin wan slaughter as per instruction wey e get.
“So for Muslims slaughtering animals especially ram wey carry more reward compared to oda animals dey very important.”
Di imam say anoda thing be say make Muslims share dia meat and food with di needy instead of eating alone.
Di difference between Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir
For non-Muslims e dey a bit confusing say Muslims dey celebrate two Sallahs or Eids in one year and dem dey always ask about di difference.
Di normal question dem ask na ‘shey na dis one dem dey cut or kill ram? before dia Muslims friends go begin explain.
So, di difference between di two Eids be say Eid el Fitr na afta di Ramadan fasting to pray and celebrate after a month of fasting.
Most pipo no dey kill ram for dat one, na mostly chickens and oda birds dey hear am.
While Eid el Kabir wey be di one wey dey come in di next nine days na im be ‘ram sallah’ as some dey call am.
And dis one na about upholding di tradition wey prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) start and wanting to get reward from God.