وَاِذۡ قَالَ مُوۡسٰى لِقَوۡمِهٖۤ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَاۡمُرُكُمۡ اَنۡ تَذۡبَحُوۡا بَقَرَةً ؕ قَالُوۡآ اَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًۡا ؕ قَالَ اَعُوۡذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنۡ اَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡجٰـهِلِيۡنَ ٦٧
And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "Indeed, Allāh commands you to slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I seek refuge in Allāh from being among the ignorant."
[Al-Quran 2:67, Translation: Saheeh International]
The Bani Israel had sinned: they had taken a الۡعِجۡلَ (calf) for worship (Q2:51). They were commanded to kill their nafs (Q2:54); and then after thirteen ayaat, we read that they were commanded to slaughter a بَقَرَةً (cow / heifer) (Q2:67), probably as a sin offering . They thought Moses (Musa عليه السلام) was joking with them, to which Moses (Musa عليه السلام) responded with the invocation:
اَعُوۡذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنۡ اَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡجٰـهِلِيۡنَ ...
... I seek refuge in Allāh from being among the ignorant
The Quran uses the triliteral root jīm hā lām (ج ه ل) twenty-four times. ... The words are generally translated as ignorant, ignorance, or synonyms of these words.
The Torah was revealed to Moses (Musa عليه السلام), and The Injeel to Jesus (Isa عليه السلام), and The Quran to Muhammad ﷺ . Each revelation contains Allah ﷻ 's Laws:
وَاَنۡزَلۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكَ الۡكِتٰبَ بِالۡحَـقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ الۡكِتٰبِ وَمُهَيۡمِنًا عَلَيۡهِ فَاحۡكُمۡ بَيۡنَهُمۡ بِمَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ اَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ الۡحَـقِّؕ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلۡنَا مِنۡكُمۡ شِرۡعَةً وَّمِنۡهَاجًا ؕ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَجَـعَلَـكُمۡ اُمَّةً وَّاحِدَةً وَّلٰـكِنۡ لِّيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ فِىۡ مَاۤ اٰتٰٮكُمۡ فَاسۡتَبِقُوا الۡخَـيۡـرٰتِؕ اِلَى اللّٰهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيۡعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمۡ بِمَا كُنۡتُمۡ فِيۡهِ تَخۡتَلِفُوۡنَۙ ٤٨
وَاَنِ احۡكُمۡ بَيۡنَهُمۡ بِمَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ اَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ وَاحۡذَرۡهُمۡ اَنۡ يَّفۡتِنُوۡكَ عَنۡۢ بَعۡضِ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰهُ اِلَيۡكَؕ فَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَاعۡلَمۡ اَنَّمَا يُرِيۡدُ اللّٰهُ اَنۡ يُّصِيۡبَهُمۡ بِبَـعۡضِ ذُنُوۡبِهِمۡؕ وَاِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ لَفٰسِقُوۡنَ ٤٩
اَفَحُكۡمَ الۡجَـاهِلِيَّةِ يَـبۡغُوۡنَؕ وَمَنۡ اَحۡسَنُ مِنَ اللّٰهِ حُكۡمًا لِّـقَوۡمٍ يُّوۡقِنُوۡنَ ٥٠
And We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allāh has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allāh willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allāh is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.
And judge, [O Muḥammad], between them by what Allāh has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allāh has revealed to you. And if they turn away - then know that Allāh only intends to afflict them with some of their [own] sins. And indeed, many among the people are defiantly disobedient.
Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allāh in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].
[Al-Quran 5:48-50, Translation: Saheeh International]
Offering as a means of Nearness to Allah
The first animal sacrifice recorded in the scriptures is that offered by the two sons of Adam. It was accepted of one of them, and rejected from the other:
۞ وَاتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَاَ ابۡنَىۡ اٰدَمَ بِالۡحَـقِّۘ اِذۡ قَرَّبَا قُرۡبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنۡ اَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمۡ يُتَقَبَّلۡ مِنَ الۡاٰخَرِؕ قَالَ لَاَقۡتُلَـنَّكَؕ قَالَ اِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ ٢٧
And recite to them the story of Adam's two sons, in truth, when they both made an offering [to Allāh], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the former], "Indeed, Allāh only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].
[Al-Quran 5:27, Translation: Saheeh International]
The Quran does not go into the details of why they were offering the sacrifice, but it does indicate that it was meant as a source of nearness to Allah ﷻ by the word قَرَّبَا (come near?) before the word قُرۡبَانًا (means of nearness?). The triliteral root qāf rā bā (ق ر ب) occurs 96 times in the Quran, translated in terms of nearness, closeness, relationship, brought close, ... such as spending in Q9:99
وَمِنَ الۡاَعۡرَابِ مَنۡ يُّؤۡمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَالۡيَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنۡفِقُ قُرُبٰتٍ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ وَصَلَوٰتِ الرَّسُوۡلِؕ اَلَاۤ اِنَّهَا قُرۡبَةٌ لَّهُمۡؕ سَيُدۡخِلُهُمُ اللّٰهُ فِىۡ رَحۡمَتِهٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ ٩٩
وَالسّٰبِقُوۡنَ الۡاَوَّلُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُهٰجِرِيۡنَ وَالۡاَنۡصَارِ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اتَّبَعُوۡهُمۡ بِاِحۡسَانٍ ۙ رَّضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُوۡا عَنۡهُ وَاَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِىۡ تَحۡتَهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَاۤ اَبَدًا ؕ ذٰ لِكَ الۡـفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيۡمُ ١٠٠
But among the bedouins are some who believe in Allāh and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allāh and of [obtaining] invocations of the Messenger. Unquestionably, it is a means of nearness for them. Allāh will admit them to His mercy. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhājireen and the Anṣār and those who followed them with good conduct - Allāh is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.
[Al-Quran 9:99-100, Translation: Saheeh International]
Surah at-Taubah is about waging war along with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ against the Meccans who had persecuted them for their faith, and after two decades of invitation to accept Islam, they had been served notice of war. This required people to spend for the war preparations, as well as participating in the war, putting their lives in danger.
However, common usage and understanding of the word Qurban(i) is the sacrifice of an animal.
In Q5:27, we see a strange link between slaughtering an animal and the killing of a person: when the offering made by one brother is accepted, and not from the other, the other kills the brother whose offering was accepted. This narration about Adam's two sons is followed by the decree for the Bani Israel that:
مِنۡ اَجۡلِ ذٰ لِكَ ۛ ۚ كَتَبۡنَا عَلٰى بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ قَتَلَ نَفۡسًۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ اَوۡ فَسَادٍ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَمَنۡ اَحۡيَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَاۤ اَحۡيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَلَـقَدۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُنَا بِالۡبَيِّنٰتِ ثُمَّ اِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ بَعۡدَ ذٰ لِكَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ لَمُسۡرِفُوۡنَ ٣٢
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
[Al-Quran 5:32, Translation: Saheeh International]
Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) is the patriarch of Jews, Christians and Muslims (Q2:135, Q2:140, Q6:161, Q19:58, Q22:78). He was of the same religious beliefs (مِنۡ شِيۡعَتِهٖ) as Noah (Nuh عليه السلام) (Q37:83)
In the narrations about Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام), we read about the calf (Q11:69, Q51:26) he roasted for the honoured guests; and we read about his vision to sacrifice his son Ismael (Ismail عليه السلام), to which both father and son willingly submitted, and Allah graciously substituted an animal just as he was about to slaughter his son:
فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعۡىَ قَالَ يٰبُنَىَّ اِنِّىۡۤ اَرٰى فِى الۡمَنَامِ اَنِّىۡۤ اَذۡبَحُكَ فَانْظُرۡ مَاذَا تَرٰىؕ قَالَ يٰۤاَبَتِ افۡعَلۡ مَا تُؤۡمَرُ سَتَجِدُنِىۡۤ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَ ١٠٢
فَلَمَّاۤ اَسۡلَمَا وَتَلَّهٗ لِلۡجَبِيۡنِۚ ١٠٣
وَنَادَيۡنٰهُ اَنۡ يّٰۤاِبۡرٰهِيۡمُۙ ١٠٤
قَدۡ صَدَّقۡتَ الرُّءۡيَا ۚ اِنَّا كَذٰلِكَ نَجۡزِى الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ ١٠٥
اِنَّ هٰذَا لَهُوَ الۡبَلٰٓؤُا الۡمُبِيۡنُ ١٠٦
وَفَدَيۡنٰهُ بِذِبۡحٍ عَظِيۡمٍ ١٠٧
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allāh wills, of the steadfast."
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
We called to him, "O Abraham,
You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
[Al-Quran 37:102-107, Translation: Saheeh International]
Symbolically, the putting down of the forehead on the ground, as in prayer, like Ishmael (Ismail عليه السلام), is a means of seeking nearness to Allah ﷻ.
Surah al-Alaq, which begins with the command to read (Q96:1), concludes with the command to not obey the person who forbids or prevents from praying (Q96:9-10), but rather prostrate and draw near (Q96:19):
اِقۡرَاۡ بِاسۡمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَۚ ١
Recite in the name of your Lord who created
...
كَلَّاؕ لَا تُطِعۡهُ وَاسۡجُدۡ وَاقۡتَرِبْ ١٩
No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allāh].
[Al-Quran 96, Translation: Saheeh International]
So, there does seem to be a scriptural link between saving human lives, and slaughtering an animal as an offering instead. Revisiting Moses (Musa عليه السلام)'s invocation quoted in Q2:67, which is the first quoted dua in The Quran:
اَعُوۡذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنۡ اَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡجٰـهِلِيۡنَ ...
... I seek refuge in Allāh from being among the ignorant
So, since the time of Adam's sons, there seems to exist some 'law' whereby there is a established tradition of seeking nearness to Allah through offering a sacrifice. Moreover, the piety or willing intention of the person is also a key factor in the acceptance of the offer.
اَفَغَيۡرَ اللّٰهِ اَبۡتَغِىۡ حَكَمًا وَّهُوَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَنۡزَلَ اِلَيۡكُمُ الۡـكِتٰبَ مُفَصَّلاً ؕ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰتَيۡنٰهُمُ الۡـكِتٰبَ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ اَنَّهٗ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكَ بِالۡحَـقِّ فَلَا تَكُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡمُمۡتَرِيۡنَ ١١٤
[Say], "Then is it other than Allāh I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] explained in detail?" And those to whom We [previously] gave the Scripture know that it is sent down from your Lord in truth, so never be among the doubters.
[Al-Quran 6:114, Translation: Saheeh International]
...
References & Links
The Sin Offering (Chabad.org)
Qurban (Islamic ritual sacrifice) (Wikipedia)
Related post in this blog: Forehead
Last updated on: October 16, 2023
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