Tomorrow Muslims worldwide will begin to celebrate Eid-al-Adha, one of the two most important festivals in the Islamic calendar. The festival, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice or the Greater Eid, is distinct from Eid-al-Fitr, which was celebrated in August this year. . How many Eids are there? Two. (1) Eid-al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, when Muslims worldwide break their month-long fast. The date of Eid-al-Fitr – which is also known as the Lesser Eid – is determined by a confirmed sighting of the new moon. It was held this year in August. (2) Eid al-Adha begins on the evening of 4 October (date may vary from place to place) and runs until the following evening. . Why do Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha? The Greater Eid commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim A.S (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ishmael A.S as an act of obedience to Allah on Gods command– and Allahs mercy in putting a lamb in Ishmaels place at the last moment. Eid also marks the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia undertaken by about 1.5 million Muslims. . How is it celebrated? Muslims across the world will sacrifice a sheep, a goat or a cow as a reminder of Ibrahims obedience to Allah. . . Muslims believe that the very moment Ibrahim raised the knife, God told him to stop, that he had passed the test, and to replace Ishmael with a sacrificial ram, explains Al Arabiya. The meat is shared into three parts, among family, friends and the poor. In Egypt, where many of the poorest people eat a mostly vegetarian diet because thats all they can afford, families will often save up specially for meat to eat on Eid al-Adha. In Britain, anyone wishing to sacrifice a sheep has to make arrangements for it to be slaughtered humanely. In Muslim countries, Eid al-Adha is a public holiday, and often involves family gatherings. Eid usually starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for prayers, dressed in their best clothes, and thanking Allah for all the blessings they have received,. It is also obligatory to give a set amount of money to charity to be used to help poor people buy new clothes and food so they too can celebrate.. . . EID MUBARAK 2014 : 1435H To all my friends, elders and my dear brothers & sisters.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 16:53:22 +0000
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