By Professor Dr. Atif Amin Al Hussaini
The Spiritual Depths of Dhul Hijjah: Meaning, Significance, and the Eternal Sacrifice
Dhul Hijjah (ذو الحجة), the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, translates to “Possessor of the Pilgrimage.” Its name derives from the sacred pilgrimage (Hajj), one of Islam’s Five Pillars, performed from the 8th to 13th of this month . For Sufis, Dhul Hijjah symbolizes a cosmic portal where time bends toward divine intimacy—a period when “the first ten days are more beloved to Allah than all other days of the year” (Hadith, Bukhari).
The Dialog of Divine Surrender: Ibrahim and Ismail (عليهما السلام)
The Quran immortalizes their conversation in Surah As-Saffat (37:99–113), a masterpiece of submission (*taslīm*):
Arabic Verse & Translation:
*فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ ٱلسَّعْىَ قَالَ يَـٰبُنَىَّ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ فِى ٱلْمَنَامِ أَنِّىٓ أَذْبَحُكَ فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۖ قَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱفْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“When the son reached the age to strive with him, Ibrahim said: ‘O my beloved son! I see in a dream that I sacrifice you. Tell me your view.’ He replied: ‘O my father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you shall find me steadfast’”.
Sufi Tafsir (Interpretation):
– Ibrahim’s “Yā Bunayya” (يَا بُنَيَّ): The diminutive “beloved son” reveals *uns* (divine tenderness) amid trial. He consults Ismail, embodying *shūrā* (consultation)—a Sufi principle that truth blooms in shared humility.
Ismail’s Response: “*سَتَجِدُنِي مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ” (You shall find me of the patient). For Sufis, this echoes ridā (contentment)—dissolving the self into Divine Will like salt in the ocean of Love.
The Sacrifice: From Literal to Metaphysical
1. The Ram as Divine Mercy:
As Ibrahim prepares to sacrifice Ismail, Allah intervenes:
*وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ
“And We ransomed him with a tremendous sacrifice”* (Quran 37:107) .
The “tremendous sacrifice” (dhibḥin ʿaẓīm) transcends the ram—a symbol of God’s fadl(grace) replacing physical loss with spiritual gain. Sufis view this as Allah’s lesson: **Outward rituals are vessels for inward transformation**.
2. The Sufi Interpretation of Sacrifice (Qurbān):
In Sufism, dhabīḥa (sacrifice) is the slaughter of the ego (*nafs*):
– Sacrificing the “Inner “:The ego’s demands , greed, pride, envy , must be offered on the altar of tawḥīd (Oneness). As Rumi writes: “Kill the ego, for in its death blooms the rose of the Soul.”
The Four Levels of Qurbān: From Ritual to Transcendence
1. The Sacrifice of the Animal (Dhābihah): The Gate of Sharīʿa
Outward Form: The ritual slaughter of a ram, cow, or lawful animal during Eid al-Adha.
Inward Essence:Obedience to Divine Law (تَسْلِيمٌ لِلشَّرِيعَةِ). This act embodies the foundational surrender of the body to Allah’s command, mirroring Ibrahim’s readiness to sacrifice Ismail. As the Quran declares:
*لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَـٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ
“Their flesh and blood never reach Allah, but your piety (taqwā) reaches Him“* (Quran 22:37).
For Sufis, this is the exoteric gate (بَابُ الظَّاهِرِ)
where the knife’s edge severs illusion, teaching that ritual is but a vessel for Divine Nearness.
2. The Sacrifice of the Ego (Nafs): The Path of Fanāʾ
Outward Form: Abandoning bad habits (غَضَبٌ، حَسَدٌ، كِبْرٌ—anger, envy, pride), destructive wishes, and worldly attachments.
Inward Essence: Annihilation of the ego (فَنَاءُ النَّفْسِ) in the Divine Unity. The “Inner Ismail”—symbolizing the *nafs al-ammārah* (commanding self)—must be offered on the altar of Tawḥīd. As Rumi teaches:
“Slay your ego with the dagger of ‘Lā ilāha illā Llāh’!
Until you ‘die before death,’ you cannot taste Union.”(Mathnawi IV: 2115)
This is the station of mujāhada (struggle against the self), where sacrifice becomes a spiritual autopsy: dissecting the ego to reveal the Heart (قَلْبٌ).
3. The Sacrifice of Good Deeds: The Alchemy of Ikhlāṣ
Outward Form:Charity (ṣadaqah), service to humanity, and sacrificing comfort for others , feeding the hungry, sheltering refugees, or donating wealth beyond obligatory zakāh.
Inward Essence: Sacrificing one’s “good” for a greater good (إِخْلَاصٌ فِي الْعَطَاءِ). Here, even virtue becomes an offering when given not for reward, but as a bridge to Divine Love. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“خَيْرُ النَّاسِ أَنْفَعُهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ“
“The best people are those most beneficial to others” (Musnad Aḥmad).
In Sufism, this is fiṣād al-waqt , “corrupting one’s time” for God’s sake: surrendering personal gain to become “a hand of Mercy” for creation.
4. The Sacrifice of Existence: The Unseen Union (Waṣl)
Outward Form:Total surrender to Divine Will (تَسْلِيمٌ لِلْقَضَاءِ) , releasing control over life, death, and destiny.
Inward Essence:Union with the Beloved (وَصْلٌ بِالْمَحْبُوبِ). At this zenith, the lover offers their very existence, echoing Ibrahim’s ultimate submission:
*قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ
“He said: O my beloved son! I see in a dream that I sacrifice you” (Quran 37:102).
For the ʿārif (Gnostic), this is fanāʾ al-fanāʾ—”annihilation of annihilation.” As Ibn ʿArabī writes:
“The knife was stayed not by the ram, but by Ibrahim’s realization:
‘You are the Sacrificer and the Sacrificed! I am but a shadow in Your Sun.’” (Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam)
Here, sacrifice transcends form: the lover dissolves like salt in the ocean of Waḥdat al-Wujūd (Unity of Being).
The Eternal Lesson: Sacrifice as Ascent
These four tiers are not steps but simultaneous dimensions of one Truth:
–Sharīʿa Law) demands the animal’s blood.
Ṭarīqa(Path) demands the ego’s blood.
Ḥaqīqa (Reality) demands the heart’s blood.
Maʿrifa (Gnosis) reveals: “All blood spilled is His Blood all sacrifice is His Return to Himself.”
The Sufi kneels at each level, whispering:
*إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“My prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds” (Quran 6:162).
To sacrifice a ram while ignoring the ego is a hollow ritual.
To slay the ego while hoarding wealth is hypocrisy.
To give wealth while resisting the Divine Decree is arrogance.
True Qurbān weaves all four into a single Act of Love , where the only thing left to offer is the illusion of the offerer himself.
Example:Hajj rites mirror this: Running between Safa-Marwa reenacts Hajar’s desperation, a metaphor for the soul’s thirst for Divine Proximity .
Lessons for Contemporary Muslims: The Sufi Path
1. Annihilating the Ego (Fanāʾ al-Nafs):
Ibrahim’s knife was stayed not by complacency but by complete submission. Today, Muslims must “sacrifice” the nafs:
– Bad Habits:Greed, anger, gossip—replace with sakīna (inner peace).
– Bad Wishes:Envy (ḥasad) corrodes the heart; sacrifice it for ḥusn al-ẓann (positive assumption) .
2. Sacrificing “Good” for Greater Good:
Ismail volunteered his life , a model for Muslims:
– Wealth:Donate beyond zakat; fund wells, schools.
Time: Serve refugees, orphans , the “living sacrifice” (Hadith: “The best people are those most beneficial to others”).
– Comfort:Advocate for justice, echoing Ibrahim’s defiance of tyranny .
3. The Consultative Heart (Qalb Mushāwir):
Ibrahim’s dialogue with Ismail teaches:
“فَٱنظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ“(“Tell me your view”).
Parenting, leadership, or community work must blend wisdom (*ḥikma*) with consultation (shūrā) a Sufi ethic to dissolve arrogance .
Conclusion: The Unseen Kaaba of the Heart
Dhul Hijjah’s rites Hajj, Qurbān are cosmic metaphors. The true Kaaba lies within:
“Do you build a mosque for Me in your heart? I shall enter it and never depart.”(Ibn ʿAṭāʾillāh).
Muslims today must wield Ibrahim’s knife against internal idols, letting Ismail’s patience guide them. As the Quran vows:
*وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرِينَ
“And We left for him [Ibrahim] remembrance among later generations” (37:108).
The Spiritual Alchemy of Sacrifice: Elevating Divine Love & Alleviating Suffering
In Sufi cosmology, sacrifice (Qurbān) is not mere ritual slaughter but a dynamic portal to fanāʾ (annihilation in Allah). It transmutes earthly attachment into celestial love, dissolving the seeker’s ego (nafs) to embody Divine Attributes. The Qur’ān declares:
*لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ
“Their flesh and blood never reach Allah, but your piety (taqwā) reaches Him” [Qur’ān 22:37].
Here, taqwā signifies the heart’s trembling awe before the Beloved , a state Sufis call ḥāl(ecstatic presence).
2. Sacrifice as Cosmic Service: Relieving Worldly Suffering
The distribution of sacrificial meat embodies khalqiyyah(service to creation):
*فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ
“Eat from it and feed the contented poor and the supplicant”* [Qur’ān 22:36] .
Sufi Praxis: Al-Ghazālī teaches that feeding the hungry breaks the ego’s arrogance(kibr). Each morsel given to the poor becomes a spiritual catalyst, lifting their suffering while purifying the giver’s soul .
The Prophet ﷺ emphasized:
“خَيْرُ النَّاسِ أَنْفَعُهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ”
“The best people are those most beneficial to others” [Musnad Aḥmad] .
Awliyāʾ Allah: Saints Who Embodied Sacrificial Love
1. Rumi’s Sacrifice of Scholarship
After meeting Shams Tabrīzī, Rumi abandoned his prestigious teaching post, declaring:
“I was raw; I cooked in the fire of Love. / I was gold; I melted in the cauldron of Union.”
By sacrificing his scholarly identity, he attained maʿrifa (gnosis), composing the Mathnawī—a balm for souls across centuries.
2. Rabia al-Adawiyya’s Rejection of Worldly Ties
When offered wealth, Rabia prayed:
“O Allah! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell. / If I worship You for the hope of Paradise, exclude me. / But if I worship You for You alone , grind me in the beauty of Your Face!”
Her sacrifice of desire (hubb al-dunyā) became a cure for material attachment.
3. Ibrahim ibn Adham’s Renunciation of Kingship
The prince who abandoned his throne to become a ascetic, teaching:
“When Allah desires goodness for His servant, He opens the door of humility and closes the door of ego.”
His redistribution of royal wealth alleviated poverty in Balkh.
The Healing Power: How Sacrifice Alleviates Suffering
1. Transmuting Personal Pain
Sufis view trials as dhawq (tasting Divine Wisdom). When the knife of hardship descends, the ʿārif (gnostic) echoes Ismail: “Do as commanded”. This transforms suffering into shukr (gratitude), as Allah vows:
*إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
“Verily, with hardship comes ease” [Qur’ān 94:6].
2. Eradicating Collective Suffering
Economic Justice: Distributing meat to the poor during Eid .
Ecological Harmony: Sufi slaughter ethics forbid animal stress, branding it ẓulm (oppression). The Prophet ﷺ warned:
“Do you intend inflicting death twice—once by sharpening the knife before its eyes, and once by cutting its throat?” [Muslim].
3. The Intercession of Sacrifice
A hadith describes sacrificed animals resurrected on Judgment Day:
*”إِنَّهَا لَتَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِقُرُونِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا وَأَظْلاَفِهَا”
“It will come with horns, hair, and hooves. The blood is accepted by Allah before touching earth”[Tirmidhī 1493].
For Sufis, this symbolizes how sincere sacrifice intercedes for the believer, turning worldly trials into celestial witness.
Conclusion: The Unseen Knife & the Eternal Feast
Sacrifice in Sufism is the surgical removal of illusion. As the knife meets the ram’s throat, the seeker’s ego is slaughtered, allowing the heart to whisper: *”All I am, Beloved, is Yours.”* This is captured in Ibrahim’s eternal legacy:
*وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ
“We left for him remembrance among later generations” [Qur’ān 37:108].
To sacrifice is to step into Ibrahim’s footprints , where every slaughtered desire feeds the hungry soul, every surrendered wish cools the fire of suffering, and every act of love echoes in the Divine Court. As Rumi writes:
“Kill the cow of self, O Sufi! / Until you do, you’ll never feast at the table of Union.”
Concluding prayers
May our sacrifices be scalpels for ego, sustenance for creation, and love-letters to the One.
May we be among those who transcend form to touch the Essence , where sacrifice becomes union, and the ego’s slaughter births the Eternal Self. Ameen
