Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatuallah Wa Barakatuhu
By the grace of Allah Almighty, Muslims all over the Gambia will be commemorating the Eid-ul-Adhia on Friday 27th November 2009. We glorify Him and extol His Praises for enabling us to witness many more Eids.
One of the lessons the Eid has come to teach us is our duty to Islam. We must show the beauty of Islam in our conduct like Hadrat Ibrahim (as), Hadrat Ismail (as) and Hadrat Hajerah (ra). They showed the reality of Islam in their lives. The Holy Qur'an tells us that Prophet Ibrahim (as) was ever submissive to Allah Almighty and that the religion of submission - Islam - was what he enjoined upon his progeny. His righteous and obedient son, Prophet Ismail (as) was regular with Salat and used to enjoin the same and was also regular with almsgiving. He was well pleasing to his Lord. The mother was also a mountain of obedience. These are the people we are remembering. We must therefore reflect on their noble conduct and emulate them.
The sacrificial animals should remind us of devotion in the service of Allah Almighty. The Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhmamad Mustafa (as) sacrificed their lives in the establishment of the Unity of Allah Almighty like the sacrificial lambs. They were true reflections of the reality of the Eid-ul-Adhia. They also sacrificed their wealth in the propagation of the message of Islam. They preferred the honour of the faith to their persons, time, and wealth. Today, Muslims are rich but Islam is needy; people are spending prohibitive amounts of money in pursuit of pleasure but are reluctant to spend the least amount in the propagation of the faith. Like the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw), we must devote our lives and property to spreading the true message of Islam throughout the world. The best way of spreading the true message is by showing the world the beautiful teachings of Islam in our conduct. This is the philosophy of the Eid-ul-Adhia.
The poor and the needy should never be forgotten. The Holy Qur'an tells us that the people who can truly be called observers of Salat are those in whose wealth there is a recognized right for those who ask and those who do not ask. May Allah Almighty count us among them.
The two days preceding and the two days following the day of Eid are full of activity. People tend to lax with the offering of the Salat during these days. The Eid is not meant for play and pastime; it is a time when we should intensify our remembrance of Allah Almighty. Like Hadrat Ismail (as) we should be regular with the Salat at all times especially during the three days of the Eid. That is why the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) taught us a prayer of glorification of Allah Almighty that should be steadfastly recited during the three days of the Eid.
I would like to convey to you the salaam, prayers and EID MUBARAK of His Holiness, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih V (ATBA), Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Supreme and Spiritual head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at. He is always praying for the peace, stability and prosperity of the county.
On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, The Gambia, I am conveying to you the warmest salaam and Eid Mubarak.
May Allah Almighty accept our humble sacrifices and reward us immensely. May He continue showering His benign grace and mercy on us and protect our dear motherland, the Gambia and the entire sub-region. May He bestow on us peace, prosperity, security and tranquility. Amen.
Wassalam
Yours sincerely,
Baba F. Trawally
Amir
