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Hari Raya Haji, or Eid-Al-Adha as it is
known in other parts of the world is an
important Muslim festival. The day is
celebrated on the 10th day of the last month
of the Islamic Calendar. The day is
celebrated to commemorate the sacrifice of
Ishamel by Abraham.
According to the story in Quran, the
religious book of the Muslims, Prophet
Abraham was tested by God. According to the
story, about 4,000 years ago, the valley of
Mecca was an uninhabited place. After years
of worship, Abraham and Hajra, his wife,
were blessed with a son, whom they names
Ishamel. Thus, Ishamel became their most
prized possession. In order to test the
devotion of Abraham, God decided to command
Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son
Abraham. After much deliberation and many
hindrances out forward by Satan, Abraham
decided to sacrifice his son by placing him
under the knife. However, just before he was
about to sacrifice his son, God appeared,
happy with Abraham’s intentions. Thus,
Ishamel was saved from sacrifice and
instead, a ram was sacrificed in his place.
This festival is a major festival for
Muslims around the world. Muslims around the
world celebrate this day with great pomp and
show. Mosques are decorated with bright
lights and other decorations. Muslims wake
up early in the morning to offer their
prayers before sunrise. After that,
extravagant meals are prepared. An important
tradition of the day is sacrificing a goat
in the name of God. This is done to remember
the sacrificial intentions of Abraham
towards Allah. The roots of this tradition
lie in the fact that a goat or a sheep was
very important in the life of humans in the
olden days for rearing and other purposes.
People of all ages wear new clothes and
exchange gifts on this day. The day is a
public holiday in most parts of the world.
People can be seen burning fire crackers at
night and remembering God. Inviting
non-Muslim friends and acquaintances is also
a common tradition on this day. This is done
to make people aware of Muslim culture and
traditions. Three important things form a
part of Eid celebrations in accordance with
the teachings of Prophet Muhammad- offer
prayer before sunrise, dress up in the best
clothes available and observe general
cleanliness. |
