Thomas Patrick Hughes

“ Muhammad had thus become unwillingly a witness to the grand doctrine of the Christian faith that " without shedding of blood, there is no remission." The animal sacrificed must be without blemish, and of full age; but it may be either a goat, a sheep, a cow, or a camel.
According to the commentator Jalal-ud-din Syiity, the sacrifice was instituted in commemoration of Abraham s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail! ”

“ This festival has become part of the Meccan pilgrimage, of which it is the concluding scene, although it appears that Muhammad at first intended to conform to the custom of the Jews in observing the great day of atonement, but when he failed to maintain a friendly footing with the Jews, he merged the rite into the Meccan pilgrimage. This feast, however, is the great Muhammadan festival, which is observed wherever Islam exists ”

“ Agreeably to God s command he took Ismail to the K aba to sacrifice him, and having laid him down, he made several ineffectual strokes on his throat with a knife, on which Ismail observed, ( Your eyes being uncovered, it is through pity and compassion for me you allow the knife to miss : it would be better if you blindfolded yourself with the end of your turban and then sacrificed me. Ibrahim acted upon his son s suggestion and having repeated the words bismillah allali-lio akbar (i.e., in the name of the great God ) he drew the knife across his son s neck. ”