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Sacrifice

Nov 08, 2011 Editorial

On Sunday, our Muslim fellow citizens of this multi-religious and multicultural society celebrated the festival of Eid ul Adha. In recognition of our multi-religiosity, the state declared its commemoration a public holiday.
Because Eid ul Adha fell on a Sunday, all Guyanese were off yesterday. In the spirit of our multi-religious harmony, it behooves all Guyanese to reflect on the significance of the festival – not least because it falls in a month at the end of which we will be making a most momentous decision.
Choosing the leaders of our government who will guide the affairs of state for the next five years needs all the inspiration and wisdom we can muster.
We suspect that all Guyanese are aware of the outline of the events that surround Eid ul Adha. Muslims believe that Abraham was tested by God as a mark of his faith to sacrifice his only son (at the time) Ishmael. Demonstrating that he was fully willing to comply, Abraham was spared the dilemma when God, at the very last moment, told him to substitute a ram.
Eid ul Adha, therefore, reminds Muslims that God is supreme and we must be prepared to sacrifice even our most prized possession to him.  For those that are not Muslims it is instructive to observe how the original act of sacrifice has since been commemorated.
It offers a perspective that should be emulated by all, irrespective of religious beliefs. All Muslims that can afford it, will – either by themselves or in collaboration with others – secure an animal that has been well taken care of and offer it as sacrifice to God on this day.
Very significantly however, the meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts. The family retains one third of the share; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbours; and the other third is given to the poor and needy.
The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid ul Adha by concerted efforts to see that no impoverished person is left without an opportunity to partake in the sacrificial meal during these days.
And it is this act of sharing with the less fortunate members of our society that we should all reflect on today.
Today, the world is overrun by a philosophy that glorifies greed and selfishness. “Mine! Mine! Mine!” is the cry that reverberates from the rooftops and in the streets – not to mention homes and offices.
Chief Executives routinely rake in millions of dollars while half of the population – by the official figures – live (or more accurately, survive) on less that $300 per day. Yet these same individuals, without the least irony (don’t even mention shame) extended Eid ul Adha greetings to one and all in the nation.
These leaders seem oblivious to the inevitable result that such greed and selfishness engender in societies: it appears that the financial meltdowns in US and Europe have not even given them pause.
But beyond this immediate illustration of the contradictions of not distributing the production of society equitably to its members, there is the fact that the world just does not have the resources to sustain the level of consumption that these leaders are holding as an example to their citizens.
On this the second day after Eid ul Adha, it is our sincere hope that our politicians (did they stay at home to reflect, or are they out politicking?) will offer their vision for a more equitable and sustainable distribution of goods and resources to all citizens of Guyana.
The reality is that politicians being politicians, citizens know they will spout whatever rhetoric they believe will secure them votes. So what is the hapless citizen to do?
Very simply, consider what these politicians have been doing during the past five years: “doing” not “saying”. If they are from the government, did they share the resources and goodies equitably or did they reward themselves inordinately?
If they are from the opposition, did they sacrifice by taking time off from their lucrative professions to walk in your shoes?

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