- This Eid is a source of immense joy to Muslims as they decorate their houses, wear new clothes and give as much as they can to the poor
JEDDAH: Muslims celebrate their second beloved Eid, the Eid Al-Adha, the second Eid of the year after the Eid Al-Fitr.
It is the biggest festival of the year, to commemorate the valor, bravery and faithfulness of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his son Ismail (peace be upon him). Prophet Ismail was brave and young and willingly offered himself for sacrifice, when his father was asked to sacrifice his most beloved possession.
Moments before Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his beloved son, Allah sent a ram to take Ismail’s place, and now millions of Muslims celebrate this day by sacrificing animals and dividing them into three parts. One third is distributed among the poor, one third among relatives and the last third is kept for the family.
This Eid is a source of immense joy to Muslims as they decorate their houses, wear new clothes and give as much as they can to the poor. It focuses on food more than any other events. After the obvious distribution, giving to the poor and worshipping, people tend to hold dinners with the main dishes made with meat, or hold barbecues, to celebrate with friends and families.
In many different countries, people have different traditions they follow: In China, families go to their ancestors’ graves and pray for their forgiveness in front of Allah. In the West, gifts are given to children, and in the Middle East youngsters are given money called “Eidi” or “Eidiya.”
Children are the most excited about this event as they get to enjoy their favorite food and receive money and gifts from elders.
Ghala Al-Otaibi, a Saudi citizen of Taif, said: “We celebrate Eid with relatives living at a distance and parents; there is usually a variety of food.”
Mohammad Al-Harthy, also from Taif, said: “We visit our families and enjoy a lot, we usually slaughter a sheep or a camel. Most of the people celebrate Eid in the same way, but the only difference may be in food traditions.”
Amna Abbasi, a Pakistani mother from Jubail, said: “During Eid, adults and children wear new clothes and exchange gifts with each other. Children love to participate in this process as they learn the value of giving to others and cherishing the smiles of the needy.”