Muslims Welcome Eid al-Adha Today

(Patria) - Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world are celebrating the great blessed day of Eid al-Adha today, the festival of sacrifice or the Pilgrimage Eid, the time of performing the Hajj. The central Eid celebration of the Islamic Community of BiH will be held at the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo, where the Eid sermon will be delivered by the Rais al-ulama Husein-ef. Kavazović.

Eid al-Adha is one of the two greatest Muslim holidays, when Muslims offer a sacrifice – qurban – to the Almighty God. Besides its spiritual meaning, Eid al-Adha also has a social character, writes Patria.

A ram or cattle is usually sacrificed for qurban, and the qurban meat is distributed to the poor, friends, neighbors, those who need it most, thus showing care for people and their needs. Those who distribute the qurban meat say “halal olsun” (may it be permissible), and those who receive it say “kabul olsun” (may it be accepted).

Also, the Pilgrimage Eid is the time when several million Muslims are in the holy places of Mecca and Medina to perform the fifth pillar of Islam – the Hajj, which the Almighty God prescribes and which every Muslim is obliged to perform as soon as they acquire the financial means to do so.

Eid al-Adha or the Pilgrimage Eid has two joys – the joy of sacrificing the qurban and distributing the qurban meat, and the second joy is the performed Hajj, by which the pilgrims, who are guests of Allah, draw closer to Allah and express obedience, gratitude, and hope for His mercy and forgiveness.