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The Beauty of Sacrificial Animals During Hajj
In learning about this sacred practice, you will come to understand why it’s meaningful to so many
In case you missed it, many Muslims all around the world have been preparing for one of the five pillars of Islam known as Hajj, which literally means the pilgrimage. Hajj takes place between the 8th and 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. This is a rite that is decreed by God as mentioned in the Quran in Chapter 22 Verse 27: “And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding on various exhausted (means of transportation). They will come from the farthest locations.”
Muslims who are both physically and financially able complete this rite by encircling the Kabah seven times in Mecca and the nearby locations such as Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah. The purpose of Hajj is to be a means of purification and complete a sacrifice — this sacrifice can come in many forms including abstaining from certain mundane acts along with designating a particular animal as an offering. The Hajj concludes with the offering of the sacrifice on the day of Eid, also known as Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, which was this past Sunday, August 11th.
