The immense rewards of qurbaani are mindboggling. One’s sins are forgiven before the first drop of blood of the animal falls onto the ground. A person’s reward will be equivalent to the number of strands of hair or fibre of wool on the animal he is slaughtering. Likewise, many other great rewards have been promised for this very great ‘ibaadah. Hence, can you imagine a reward greater than this?
Indeed, Allah Ta‘ala loves something even more than sacrificing animals and blesses the one who undertakes it with greater rewards. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) reported that once on the Day of ‘Eidul Adha Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “There is no action more virtuous than the spilling of blood (qurbaani) on this day, except the joining of family ties (that have been severed).” (Al-Mu’jamul Kabeer – At Targheeb wat Tarheeb vol. 2, pg. 154)
While performing qurbaani is certainly a great sacrifice, joining and maintaining family ties is a greater sacrifice. The sacrifice of qurbaani only entails the sacrificing of wealth while joining and maintaining family ties often entails the very great sacrifice and ‘qurbaani’ of one’s ego and self-esteem. At times it also requires the sacrifice of some wealth.
An indifferent family member may snub one and spurn the gesture of re-joining and patching up. However if one undertakes the great ‘sacrifice’ in humbling oneself to join kinship, it will definitely surpass the sacrificing of animals in reward and in securing the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. Allah Ta‘ala loves that the paragon of His creation (insaan) and the followers of His beloved Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) should live harmoniously and cordially with one another. Hence any initiative undertaken to foster a harmonious relationship is greatly appreciated and rewarded by Allah Ta‘ala.
There are numerous benefits and rewards that one receives for maintaining a healthy relationship and reuniting torn hearts. It is therefore the duty of every individual to undertake the ‘sacrifice’ necessary to maintain kinship. It is better to trample one’s ego or tolerate some loss of wealth to join and maintain family ties (earning great rewards and benefits in the process) rather than suffer the severe consequences of severing family ties.
Therefore, this ‘Eidul Adha, let us engage in the ‘ibaadah of qurbaani as well as the ‘ibaadah of the act that is greater than qurbaani. May Allah Ta‘ala guide us all to the path of love and harmony, aameen.