To my Muslim brothers, Happy Eid, have good celebrations.
This celebration is Sunnit (practice of two great Prophets), first Prophet Abraham (Khalil-ul-Lah) and Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Usually, it is considered that sacrifice of lamb (animal) was started by Prophet Abraham (PBUH), but if we see in the Holy Bible, Prophet Abraham was not the first to offer animal sacrifice to Holy God, but the younger son of Prophet Adam (Genesis 4:4). And Abel (means “vanity”), he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and fat thereof (God demanded “blood sacrifice”); he also brought the firstlings of his flock and fat thereof, and to his offering, as we see sacrifice of an innocent victim lamb. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, as we proceed to Prophet Abraham’s life in the Holy Bible, story start by 21:22, that Prophet Abraham several times offered burnt sacrifice to Holy God, before the Prophet went to the land of Moriah. The Holy God asked Abraham? And Abraham said, “Behold, here I am,” Genesis 22:2, and he said, “Take now your son Isaac” (as Holy God had already blessed Abraham’s son Ismail with a spring of water, J Zam) 21:20, and God was with Ismael. Although Muslim religion states that Abraham took his son Ismael, but Jewish and Christian Holy Bible states that Isaac.
Genesis 22:2 states that, as per Holy God, Isaac said, “Take now your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and offer him there for a burnt sacrifice,” offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of. Verse 22:3 states that Abraham rose up early in the morning (proper obedience to Holy God) and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son with him, and clave the wood for the burnt offering and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Verse 22:6, and Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son (symbol of Christ carrying the cross [John 19:17]), and he took the fire in his hand and a knife (symbolic of the death that Christ would die), and they went both of them together. And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” And he said, “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (John the Baptist would answer that question by saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]). Genesis 22:8, and Abraham said, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” So they went both of them together. Genesis 22:9, and they came to the place which God had told him of (and this would be the place of the threshing floor which David bought, and where Solomon’s Temple would be built) and Abraham built an altar there (it is believed that the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple, was built over the exact spot) and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son over there, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Verse 22:10, and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Verse 22:11, and the Angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham,” and he said, “Here am I.” Verse 22:12, and He said, “God Angel, lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you anything unto him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
End of sacrifice, verse 22:13, and Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns, and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering, in the stead of his son. Genesis 22:14, and Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord God will provide), as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen” (“in this Mount Jehovah shall be seen”). This was fulfilled in 2 Samuel 24–25; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1–3.
Holy God’s blessings to Prophet Abraham and his race.
Verse Genesis 22:15, and the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time (no cross, no revelation).
Verse Genesis 22:16, “And said, By myself have I sworn,” (God sworn by himself) says the Lord, “for because you have done this thing and not withheld your son (while Abraham’s son was not sacrificed, actually in figure he was, as well, in a figure raised from the dead [Hebrews 11:18–19]). Christian claim in essence he was a figure of Christ.
Verse Genesis 22:17, “That in blessings I will bless you (increase your blessings), and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. (Prophet Abraham is father of all believers who believe in Holy God, i.e. Jewish, Christian and Muslims.) And your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies (as Christian have faith that Jesus Christ on his cross removed the right of Satan, right to sin, there the gates of Hell were torn down.” Matthew 16:18.)
Verse Genesis 22:18, “And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Verse Genesis 22:19, so Abraham returned unto his young men and they rose up and went together to Beer-Sheba, and Abraham dwelt there. (And Abraham and his son had a joyful and happiest returned journey with his son.)
As my reference was Holy Bible, and Bible states the name of the son Isaac, whereas Muslim celebration states and believes Ismael is the son of Abraham who was with his father. But we know neither of these Abraham sons were sacrificed. Holy God stopped Abraham from hurting his son, declaring him successful in his test and blessed (but Christian believes that Holy God, who stopped Abraham to kill his son, but Holy God sent his begotten son Jesus Christ to the world, that He gave His only begotten Son to redeem humanity from sin, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life).
Burnt sacrifice of a ram by Holy Prophet Abraham was not celebrated by Jews, but Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) admired Sunnit Abraham and advised his followers to celebrate Sunnit Abraham sacrifice as feast. So Muslims celebrate two Prophets’ Sunnit, but Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), instead of burning sacrifice, advised his followers to consume the sacrifice as foodstuff. But the Holy Muhammad (PBUH) knew that Holy God is no more interested in the smoke of burning blood (even nowadays since last many decades to offer burning sacrifice is officially banned in Israel).
So Muslims consider walking on the sacred tradition of their Holy Prophet, slaughter the animal as duty to Allah and Sunnit of their Prophet, and share the sacrifice as food. This sacrifice Eid gives good meat to all Muslims, because the animal is nourished well rather best, so at least Pakistani Muslims eat best food.
Now comes the real cause that why I am writing this article, as the Eid is coming nearer day by day. Many Muslim clerks are blogging about every day that Christians should not be given or share Eid sacrifice meat, because sacrifice is part of our prayer. I don’t oppose them; they know best of their religion, but I know this refusal was started by Christians because some illiterate Padres, who do not have adequate knowledge of the Holy Bible, just took one verse of the Holy Bible, and they are scholars and blog it from possible house to house, and started stopping Christians to eat sacrifice meat. I am sure if Muslim will get meat of that standard they will also not eat, and I thank God Muslim sacrifice is not that standard, because it is to do with Sunnit Abraham and their Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Holy Bible Apostle Paul’s stance on eating meat sacrificed to idols (often referred to as food sacrificed to Gentiles/pagans) is more nuanced than a blanket prohibition. 1 Corinthians 8 and 1 Corinthians 10, and Church forefathers abstain from food sacrificed to idols.
But thank God Muslim sacrifice is not for idols but only for Holy God. If Muslims do not want to share their sacrifice to Christians, they should do as per religion, but in Pakistan it is very difficult that Muslims do not give sacrifice meat to Christians, as Muslims are meat-holders, Christians are liquor-holders.
But I greet my Muslim friends, “Congratulations, Happy Eid.” Few days before I have purchased a good pack of meat for myself.