Among the plethora of events and miracles in the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, there is one that was particularly unique. Around a year before the Muslim community’s migration to Medina, the Prophet was taken by a heavenly steed from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from there lifted to the seven heavens. At the end of this journey, he was brought to the direct presence of God, closer than anyone before or after him.

One of the many fruits of this stunning occasion is the revelation of the last two verses of chapter al-Baqarah in the Qur’an. Because they were revealed to the Prophet from God without any intermediary, they are considered to hold a unique degree of importance compared to the rest of the scripture. Just these two verses hold enough meaning for volumes of scholarship; nevertheless, if we wanted to summarize their contents, we could say that they contain a summary of the true nature of a believer.

Within these descriptions is one that conveys a concept oft-mentioned in the whole Book: submission and obedience. As it announces succinctly: “And the believers say: We hear and We obey” [2:285].

This proclamation perfectly encapsulates the psycho-spiritual state of the believer. When the Divine Command comes, he accepts it unconditionally and applies it entirely. The reality of God’s Lordship is that He has the unqualified right to command his property as He wills; and the reality of our servanthood is that we must obey the Divine Injunction with complete deference.

Defiance to a command is the sign of rebellion, and its acceptance a mark of submission. In our mundane lives, we naturally exhibit this understanding, from the orders of a supervisor to the commands of a national leader. This principle applies just as well to our relationship with God. In whatever we do, failing to meet the standards of morality and obedience to the Divine Law reflects our inner nature. One that does not manifest perfection but is twisted and disfigured into pure monstrousness.

It is for this reason that the prophets, blessings upon them all, are necessarily free of sin or disobedience. Their role as guides and role models for the believers entails that they must themselves be pure examples of what God wants us to be like. The life of every single prophet is filled with examples of their utmost submission to the Divine Command. This is seldom more obvious than in the explication of a particular event in the life of Prophet Abraham.

Prophet Abraham had already gone through many trials throughout his life. In trying to guide his father, he was disowned and hated. In trying to guide his people away from misguidance and idol worship, he was persecuted and thrown into a raging fire. Despite all of that, his resilience and strength in belief had stayed strong. However, his greatest test would only be made clear at a later time.

There are many things that a person values, forming a hierarchy within their mind and heart. Be it money, family, or a loved one, there are a plethora of things that our faith in God can be tested by. Undoubtedly, however, the most terrifying trial that one can experience is that of a parent being tested by their beloved child. And this is exactly what lay in wait for Prophet Abraham.

One night, Prophet Abraham saw a dream, a true source of revelation for prophets; in it, he was commanded to sacrifice the life of his precious son Ismail. When he woke from his dream, he did so with a heavy task on his shoulders. This is the first part of the formula as mentioned in the verse above: to hear of the command and accept its significance. Right after, Prophet Abraham went to his son and informed him of what the Lord of the Worlds had ordered him to do.

What happened next is a reinforcement of the proper response to God’s mandates. Though Ismail was just a young boy with a full life ahead, his response was even more immediate and enthusiastic than his father’s, as he hoped to console him by reminding him of the proper path. His words are beautifully expressed in the Qur’an: “Abraham said: ‘O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.’ He replied, ‘O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. If God wishes, you will find me steadfast’” [37:102].

Here we see the second and most important part of the formula in the Chapter: to obey the command without reference to deception or treachery. And this is precisely what Prophet Abraham and his son displayed, by laying the young man down and attempting to follow through on the act.

When Prophet Abraham showed his formidable resolve in submitting to the Divine Command, God called down to him, declaring that He rescinded his order and that the whole occasion was a trial with the sole purpose of revealing their true characters, that of true believers in complete submission.

In reward, God sent down a ram from the heavens, instructing that they sacrifice it instead. This entire trial was without a doubt the most harrowing decision Prophet Abraham had to undertake, and one that represented his unmatched obedience. It is in commemoration of this event that Muslims make their own animal sacrifices every year on Eid Al-Adha, to celebrate and raise the flag of submission that Prophet Abraham first did millennia ago.

The ending of Prophet Abraham’s ordeal was also a perfect reflection of the ending state of the true submissive believer, one that is blessed and exalted by God. In being saved from having to sacrifice his precious child, the story perfectly encapsulates the ending of Chapter al-Baqarah, a plea sent to the Lord of the Worlds that He bestow on us his Mercy and Grace: “God does not burden any soul more than it can bear. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be to its own loss. The believers pray: ‘Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us’” [2:286].

At the beginning of the second chapter of the Qur’an, God Almighty declares that He is the actual owner of things and we are temporary keepers: “Out of what We have provided for them they spend…” Namely, what we donate is actually nothing but blessings He has granted us. By pointing out that “He” is the actual Provider of sustenance, He reminds us that there is no need for us to worry about depletion. This point is more directly expressed in another verse, that God Almighty, the Omnipotent One, is the Provider of sustenance of all creatures (al-Dhariyat 51:58).

A person supporting others with their personal wealth—be it in the form of alms or sacrificial meat—is the minimal degree of generosity for one who considers himself or herself a believer.

As for the maximum degree of helping others, let us ponder over the following verse:

“They (believers) prefer [others] over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot.” (al-Hashr 59:9)

Someone who acts with this spirit will offer their time, knowledge, wisdom, wealth, and vision—in short, God’s every bestowal—to the utmost degree and will share what they have with others.

The Festival of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) is not only an act of worship observed individually. It is a time when believers conquer hearts in different parts of the world by generously sharing the meat of their sacrifice with others.

The noble Prophet said that for those who observe this good act, God will render their sacrifices given away for His sake into steeds to ride with on the Day of Judgment, when they are most needy. Then, as they will fill with feelings of admiration and wonder, they will try to decide which one to ride.

The noble Prophet demanded everybody who can afford it to offer a sacrifice, and scholars of the Hanafi school ruled that it is no less necessary (wajib) than zakat alms for the wealthy. Those who have the means should not forget the fact that poorer ones have a right to benefit from their wealth.

Provisions for the Hereafter

Another Qur’anic verse encourages people to donate from what they love: “You will never be able to attain godliness and virtue until you spend of what you love (in God’s cause or to provide sustenance for the needy)” (Al ‘Imran 3:92). Thus, it is advised to choose the sacrificial animal from healthy, robust ones with no physical defect, for it will become a steed on the way to Paradise. Note that everything done here will appear to us in the Hereafter with their true reflection of their meaning. As we cannot know how things will be in the next world, we cannot really imagine in what form they will return to us. Maybe our sacrificial animals will appear before us like a plane, ship, boat, or a good horse in the next life. If we consider the issue with respect to the immensity of God’s graces and the truthfulness of His promises, we can say that they will definitely return to us somehow.

According to a report by our mother Aisha, God’s Messenger distributed two thirds of the animal he sacrificed to the poor and left the remaining third at home for his family. This is the criterion for one who wishes to distribute the meat in compliance with the example of the Prophet.

As a matter of fact, seeking closeness to God in all acts of worship, saying “O God, I did this for Your sake only,” and having due integrity in one’s feelings must be the basis of our actions. When giving from one’s wealth—to which we feel much attached—it is necessary to remember other things one can possibly give and show obedience to Divine orders. During the festival of sacrifice, we remember the situation of Prophet Abraham and his son, who grasped so well the gist of worship and submission to Divine orders, when they were tested with the greatest sacrifice one can possibly make: “Then when both had submitted to God’s will, and Abraham had laid him down on the side of his forehead” (as-Saffat 37:103). 

If a believer begins the worship of sacrifice with such intention from the very beginning, then all of their ensuing acts will be counted as worship and other things done for the sake of this good deed will also return to that person as rewards in the Hereafter.

When the truth of our seemingly small actions is revealed to us in the Hereafter, they will make us say in astonishment, “O God, how bountiful You are! You have taken these little things, made them bloom, flourish, transform, become eternal, and now You are offering them to us!” In this respect, a person should fulfill the worship of sacrifice in this world with an inner feeling of richness and contentment of the heart. The following verse also refers to this fact: “(Bear in mind that) neither their flesh nor their blood reaches God, but only piety and consciousness of God reach Him from you” (al-Hajj 22:37). If a person carries out this act of worship by viewing it as a connection with God Almighty and a chance to be rewarded by Him, then that person will meet very different riches and surprises in the next world.

Throughout history religion has, and continues to, occupy a powerful position in people’s lives. Despite doubts raised by philosophers and scientists, religion has thrived in every culture for thousands of years with over 85 percent of the world’s population currently subscribing to some form of religious belief. While this is so, there are many who are critical of religious traditions, especially with respect to certain rituals, which they find strange: fasting all day, going long distances to visit a sanctuary, circumambulating a building, and of course offering sacrifices are among such practices.

Many Islamic scholars have defined worship as submission to God with love and reverence and seeking nearness to Him by doing what He has commanded. Well, what is the place of such religious practices, which look strange to some, in our lives? How do we, as human beings, relate to the notion we call faith?

Neuroscience findings that have emerged in recent years show that we have a very fundamental relationship with faith – and therefore with such acts of worship. Researchers who explore the psychology and neuroscience of religion are shedding light on why, and how, religious belief endures. Neurotheologians contend that the human brain’s structure and operation predispose us to have faith in God. They suggest that God’s biological substrate is located in the limbic system, the brain’s emotion center. According to Rhawn Joseph, a renowned neurotheologian, the limbic system contains “God neurons” and “God neurotransmitters” (Joseph, 2001). The hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus are among the limbic structures that have been linked to religious conviction. Neurotheologians cite alterations in these regions in functional MRI scans of subjects practicing religious meditation. They argue that if thinking about God alters brain function, there must be an inherent neural drive to believe in God. A study published in 2009 demonstrated that religious thoughts activate the region of the brain involved in interpreting others’ emotions and intentions known as “theory of mind” (Azar, 2010; Kapogiannis et al., 2009).

Thinking about God, it has been found, is akin to thinking about an authority figure, like one’s parents. The difference is related to contemplative practices, such as meditation and prayer, which can alter the brain’s wiring in regular practitioners (Slagter et al., 2011). When the brain activity of long-term Buddhist meditators was monitored during meditation with fMRI and EEG techniques, it has been found that they possess a more robust and well-organized attention system than novice meditators. Essentially, meditation, as well as other contemplative spiritual practices, improve attention and deactivates brain regions responsible for self-focus (Davidson & Lutz, 2008).

For the first time in history, we are gaining insight into spiritual experiences as not being separate from the human body but rather intertwined with human matter, specifically the brain’s matter. Consequently, matter and spirit are no longer seen as opposing forces but rather as interconnected, if not identical (Delio, 2003).

Hamer’s research does not aim to prove the existence of God, which falls within the purview of religion, but rather to demonstrate that spirituality is a genuine phenomenon that can be defined and measured. As Hamer views it, spirituality is rooted in genetics while religion derives from memes – the cultural equivalent of genes – ideas, values, or behavioral patterns passed from one generation to the next through non-genetic means, often by imitation. He posits that religion is influenced by environmental factors while spirituality is influenced by nature (Goldman, 2004; Hamer, 2005).

These cognitions share a common thread that leads us to perceive the world as deliberately designed by someone or something. Young children, for instance, often believe that even minor aspects of the natural world were created with a purpose. If you inquire why a collection of rocks is sharp, they may say, “So animals won’t sit on them and break them.” When asked about the reason for the existence of rivers, they may answer, “So we can go fishing” (Kelemen, 2004). Research suggests that adults also tend to seek meaning particularly during times of uncertainty.

Neuroscientific studies lend credence to the notion that the brain has an innate inclination to believe. This inclination appears to be distributed throughout the brain and likely stems from neural pathways (Kapogiannis et al., 2009). This aligns with the Islamic principle of the “original pattern,” which refers to the innate disposition that God has instilled in human beings. “So set your whole being upon the Religion as one of pure faith. This is the original pattern belonging to God on which He has originated humankind. No change can there be in God’s creation. This is the upright, ever-true Religion, but most of the people do not know” (Qur’an 30:30).

Spiritual beliefs may also contribute to a longer and healthier life. A significant body of research indicates that religious individuals have a longer lifespan, are less prone to depression, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are even more likely to attend dental appointments more regularly (Inzlicht & Tullett, 2010; 2011; McCullough & Willoughby, 2009).

Religion can also serve as a crucial tool for facilitating large, cooperative societies. The continued prevalence and importance of religion across cultures can largely be attributed to its use as a social mechanism. Religion is one of the primary methods by which societies encourage unrelated individuals to treat each other with kindness (Norenzayan et al., 2016). Research conducted in 15 diverse societies found that individuals who practiced a world religion displayed greater fairness towards strangers in economic games than non-religious individuals (Henrich et al., 2010).

The Holy Qur’an emphasizes the importance of combining belief with good deeds, referring to true Muslims as “those who believe and do good deeds” (e.g., Qur’an 2:277; 4:173; 10:4, 10:9, 13:29; 19:96). Virtuous deeds serve as the guiding principle for Muslim behavior, and the concept of a “giving culture” is fundamental to comprehensive development in Islam. Therefore, there are various ways to promote charitable behavior and donations among Muslims. Sacrifice, or Qurban, is a significant method of charitable behavior in Islam. It involves sacrificing (usually) a sheep or a cow during a specific time of the year, and the Qur’an orders that the meat be eaten while also feeding the poor who live in contentment and humility (Qur’an 22:36). Muslims are prescribed to keep one-third of the share, and donate the remaining two. Although it is a demanding practice, many Muslims follow this order each year.

One of the primary purposes of the Qurban practice in Islam is to cultivate piety and increase believers’ consciousness of God. As the Qur’an states, it is not the physical offering of the sacrificial animals that reaches God but rather the devotion and piety of the individuals who offer them (Qur’an 22:37). The practice is meant to bring believers closer to God and strengthen their relationship with Him as the word “Qurban” itself is derived from a root word meaning “closeness.”

Overall, Islam emphasizes the importance of improving one’s relationship with God and with all of His creation. The Qur’anic verses emphasize the significance of doing good deeds and being aware of God’s presence in all aspects of life. This focus on piety and spiritual awareness may explain the prevalence of religious practices that promote prosocial behaviors, charitable giving among Muslims, and the relationship with our Maker. Thus, with the practice of sacrifice/qurban we fulfil our nature of being as we are predisposed to believe in God and develop a closer relationship with him.

References

• Azar, B. (2010). A reason to believe. Monitor on Psychology, 41(11), 53-56.
• Davidson, R. J., & Lutz, A. (2008). Buddha’s brain: Neuroplasticity and meditation [in the spotlight]. IEEE signal processing magazine, 25(1), 176-174.
• Delio I. (2003). Are we wired for God? New Theology Review, 16, 31-43.
• Goldman, M. A. (2004). The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired Into Our Genes.
• Hamer, D. H. (2005). The God gene: How faith is hardwired into our genes. Anchor.
• Henrich, J., Ensminger, J., McElreath, R., Barr, A., Barrett, C., Bolyanatz, A., … & Ziker, J. (2010). Markets, religion, community size, and the evolution of fairness and punishment. Science, 327(5972), 1480-1484.
• Inzlicht, M., & Tullett, A. M. (2010). Reflecting on God: Religious primes can reduce neurophysiological response to errors. Psychological Science, 21(8), 1184-1190.
• Inzlicht, M., Tullett, A. M., & Good, M. (2011). Existential neuroscience: a proximate explanation of religion as flexible meaning and palliative. Religion, Brain & Behavior, 1(3), 244-251.
• Joseph R. (2001). The limbic system and the soul: evolution and the neuroanatomy of religious experience. Zygon, 36,105-136.
• Kapogiannis, D., Barbey, A. K., Su, M., Zamboni, G., Krueger, F., & Grafman, J. (2009). Cognitive and neural foundations of religious belief. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(12), 4876-4881.
• Kelemen, D. (2004). Are children “intuitive theists”? Reasoning about purpose and design in nature. Psychological Science, 15(5), 295-301.
• McCullough, M. E., & Willoughby, B. L. (2009). Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications. Psychological Bulletin, 135(1), 69.
• Norenzayan, A., Shariff, A. F., Gervais, W. M., Willard, A. K., McNamara, R. A., Slingerland, E., & Henrich, J. (2016). The cultural evolution of prosocial religions. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 39, e1.
• Slagter, H. A., Davidson, R. J., & Lutz, A. (2011). Mental training as a tool in the neuroscientific study of brain and cognitive plasticity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 5, 17.

Eid of Sacrifice is not only an act of worship observed individually in the form of sharing meat with those in close proximity; it is an important means of reaching into hearts in different parts of the world. Right at the beginning of the second chapter of the Qur’an, God Almighty declares the fact that He is the actual owner of things and we are temporary keepers by “out of what We have provided for them they spend…” Namely, what we donate are actually nothing but blessings He had granted us. By pointing out that “He” is the actual Provider of sustenance, He reminds us that there is no need for us to worry about depletion. This point is more directly expressed in another verse that God Almighty, the Omnipotent One, is the Provider of sustenance of all creatures (Dhariyat 51:58).

Actually, a person’s supporting others with their personal wealth—be it in the form of alms or sacrificial meat—is the minimal degree of generosity, without which, one wonders, how a person can consider himself or herself a believer.

As for the maximum degree of helping others, let us ponder over the following verse:

“They (believers) prefer [others] over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot.” (Hashr 59:9)

Someone who acts with this spirit will offer their time, means, knowledge, wisdom, wealth, vision, and shortly God’s every bestowal to the utmost degree for people to benefit, and will share what they have with others.

Similarly, during the festival of sacrifice, believers will conquer hearts by generously sharing the meat of their sacrifice with others.

The noble Prophet said that for those who observed this good act God will render their sacrifices given away for His sake into steeds to ride with on the Day of Judgment, at a time when they are most needy. Then as they will fill with feelings of admiration and wonder, they will try to decide which one to ride.

The noble Prophet demanded everybody who can afford to offer a sacrifice by stating: “Who has the means to offer a sacrifice but does not, let that person not approach our place of prayer!” Since this hadith conveys an intimidating message for those refusing to offer a sacrifice, scholars of the Hanafi school ruled that it is no less than wajib (necessary) to offer a sacrifice. As it is obligatory to give zakat alms for everybody who is wealthy enough, it is similarly necessary to offer a sacrifice for those who can afford it. Those who have the means should not forget the fact that poorer ones have a right to benefit from their wealth and thus support them.

Provisions for the Afterworld

Another verse encourages people to donate from what they love: “You will never be able to attain godliness and virtue until you spend of what you love (in God’s cause or to provide sustenance for the needy)” (Al Imran 3:92). Then one had better choose the sacrificial animal, which will become a steed on the way to Paradise, from robust ones. The religious rules for offering sacrifice already necessitate the animal’s being a healthy one without defects as a broken horn and the like. Note that everything done here will appear to us in the Hereafter with their true reflection of their meaning. As we cannot know how things will be in the next world, we cannot really imagine in what form they will return to us. Who knows, maybe our sacrificial animals will appear before us like a plane, ship, boat, or a good horse in the next life. If we consider the issue with respect to the immensity of God’s graces and the truthfulness of His promises, we can say that they will definitely return to us somehow.

According to a report by our mother Aisha, God’s Messenger distributed two thirds of the animal he sacrificed to the poor and left the one third at home for not depriving his family of it. This is the criterion for one who wishes to distribute the meat in compliance with the example of the Prophet.

As a matter of fact, seeking closeness to God in all acts of worship, saying “O God, I did this for Your sake only,” and having due integrity at feelings must be the basis of our actions. When giving from one’s wealth, to which people feel so much attached, it is necessary to remember other things one can possibly give and show obedience to Divine orders. During the festival of sacrifice we remember the situation of Prophet Abraham and his son who grasped so well the gist of worship and submission to Divine orders when they were tested with the greatest sacrifice one can possibly do: “Then when both had submitted to God’s will, and Abraham had laid him down on the side of his forehead” (Saffat 37:103). 

If a believer begins the worship of sacrifice with such a sound intention from the very beginning, then all of their ensuing acts will be counted within worship and other things done for the sake of this good deed will also return to that person as rewards for the Hereafter.

When the truth of our seemingly small actions is revealed to us in the Hereafter, they will make us say in astonishment, “O God, how bountiful You are!  You have taken these little things, made them bloom, flourish, transform, become eternal, and now You are offering them to us!” In this respect, a person should fulfill the worship of sacrifice in this world with an inner feeling of richness and contentment of the heart. The following verse also refers to this fact: “(Bear in mind that) neither their flesh nor their blood reaches God, but only piety and consciousness of God reach Him from you” (al-Hajj 22:37).  If a person carries out this act of worship with considerations in the heart like taking it as a means of connection with God Almighty and of being rewarded by Him, then that person will meet very different riches and surprises in the next world.