Eid al-Adha celebration in parts of the world

Muslims across the world sacrificed animals yesterday (Sunday) to celebrate the religious festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the festival of sacrifice.

The celebration is also with special prayers, and slaughter of animals such as sheep, rams, goats, cows, or camels.

The meat from the sacrificed animals are distributed among family, friends, and less privileged, which symbolizes the importance of charity, community, and obedience to Allah.

This festival is celebrated in the 12th Islamic month which is called Dhul al-Hijja, which is the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

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Eid in Gaza (Palestine) amidst Israel invasion

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank are marking a sombre Eid al-Adha as the Israeli military continues its deadly attacks more than eight months after the start of the war.

This is while the Israeli military is aggressively attacking western areas of Rafah as it advances with its ground invasion of the southernmost city, and hitting areas across central Gaza.

“Those attacks have pushed people into further internal displacement; in the northern part of the Strip, people are not only struggling to deal with unpredictable falling bombs and attacks on their homes … but also the spread of dehydration and hunger,” said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.

“This is happening on the first day of Eid, where we’re looking at hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian families, many of them in mourning.”

Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, also reporting from Deir el-Balah, said Palestinians are trying to cling to a sense of hope.

“Palestinians are trying to do their best, despite Israel’s ongoing aggression, to bring happiness to young children, as many of them will wake up today and celebrate Eid without their parents.”

The Government Media Office in Gaza said in a statement late on Saturday that Israel is preventing the entry of sacrificial animals into the enclave from all crossings, preventing Palestinians from performing sacrificial rituals as part of Eid al-Adha.

Eid in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, Israeli forces once again cracked down on Palestinians trying to mark Eid al-Adha in Al-Aqsa Mosque, with the military imposing tight restrictions on entry and assaulting worshippers.

The Wafa news agency reported that some 40,000 managed to attend the prayers inside the mosque, but many were forced to pray outside the mosque gates after being denied entry.

It also reported that Israeli forces disrupted the movement of Palestinians in several areas across Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, setting up checkpoints and forcing vehicles to stop.

…In Unted Arab Emirate

The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed on Saturday sent cables of congratulations to the kings, emirs, and presidents of Arab and Islamic nations on the occasion.

Residents in the UAE are marking the celebration with a four-day weekend that began on Saturday and will last until Tuesday.

Additionally, residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are set to enjoy stunning fireworks displays at different locations at 9pm on Sunday.

…In United States

For the more than three million Muslims in the US, Eid al-Adha is one of the most important dates in the calendar.

Although Eid al-Adha is not a public holiday, businesses and schools may be closed because it falls on the same date as Juneteenth Freedom Day in 2024, which is a public holiday in Utah.

In some areas, such as New York, schools close on this day.

Like in other parts of the globe, Muslims in the United States usually celebrate Eid al-Adha with prayer, giving to charity, and enjoying a festive meal.

The custom of sacrificing an animal at home, widely practiced in predominantly Muslim countries, is less common in the US.

On the morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims typically dress up in their finest clothes and assemble at the local mosque to pray together and hear a sermon.

At the end of the service, people wish each other Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) and may exchange small gifts.

While animal sacrifice on Eid al-Adha is a widespread custom in Muslim countries, this practice is much less common in the US, as American Muslims often give money to charitable organizations that may distribute meat or provide other kinds of support to needy Muslim families at home or abroad.

Those who opt to sacrifice an animal may commission a slaughterhouse instead of killing it themselves. Later in the day, people usually meet with their family and friends to enjoy a festive meal together.

The United States president traditionally issues an official Eid greeting. They may also visit a mosque or hold a celebratory event at the White House to mark the occasion.

…In Canada

The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, in a customary annual message to Muslims, said that Eid celebrations will be “somber this year” as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues.

“The scale of human suffering in Gaza, including in Rafah, is catastrophic. We reaffirm the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and long-lasting peace in the region,” he said.

Extending his Eid greetings, Trudeau said Muslims across Canada will “gather at their local mosques on Sunday to share meals with loved ones and provide food to the needy.”

He stressed the values celebrated during Eid Al Adha are also Canadian values, vowing to continue to stand up against all forms of hate, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab racism.

…In Sudan

For the second year, the Sudanese welcome the Eid al-Adha, without the usual joy of celebration, as the traditional rituals are becoming unaffordable during the civil war killing thousands, displacing millions, and collapsing the economy.

Sudan, however, is currently faced with a great hike in the prices of livestock due to the national currency depreciation amid the war, making the sacrifice of sheep unaffordable for locals.

Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced a “unilateral” ceasefire on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Burhan also called on young men to defend the country either at home or by joining the armed forces.

The ceasefire announcement comes after Burhan’s rival and head of the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as “Hemedti”, declared a two-day “unilateral” ceasefire in its battle against the army.

“We are declaring a unilateral ceasefire, except for self-defence situations, on the eve of Eid and on the day of Eid al-Adha,” the RSF chief said on Monday in an audio recording posted on Facebook. Hemedti expressed hope the Eid holiday would provide an opportunity for reconciliation among the Sudanese people.

…In Turkey

Turkish Muslims celebrated this year’s Eid al-Adha with the people, especially the children in joyous moods.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended the Eid al-Adha greeting on Sunday, with a wish for peace and tranquility across Turkiye and the broader cultural region.

Erdogan’s message emphasized peace in Palestine and Sudan.

“I wholeheartedly congratulate our nation and the Islamic world on the occasion of Eid al-Adha,” he wrote on X.

“I hope that this holiday brings peace to our hearts, tranquility to our country, and peace to our spiritual geography, especially Palestine and Sudan,” he added.

…In India

The day is considered one of the most auspicious times of the year.

In India, Eid ul Adha is also known as Bakrid and is observed with sacrifice, devotion and prayers.

People start their day with the morning prayers and indulge in family time with their loved ones.

Charity is also done, and clothes and food are offered to the poor and the needy.

This year, Eid ul Adha will be observed in India on Monday June 17, a day after Saudi Arabia and many country began the celebration.