Eid ul-Adha is being celebrated Wednesday across Saudi Arabia and other countries with religious solemnity and festive observances. Muslims around the world are marking one of Islam’s major religious festivals with Eid prayers, animal sacrifices and Hajj rituals.
Eid ul-Adha began in the Middle East after the most important ritual of Hajj, “Wuquf al-Arafa,” was completed. About 1.6 million pilgrims from around the world gathered on the plain of Arafat on Tuesday, the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims clad in white ihram garments filled the plain from dawn with chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik.”
Standing on Arafat is the central pillar of Hajj. Pilgrims remained within the boundaries of Arafat until sunset in prayer, repentance, Quran recitation and remembrance of Allah. They wept and prayed for divine acceptance.
At noon, Sheikh Ali Al-Hudaifi, imam and khatib of the Grand Mosque, delivered the Hajj sermon from the historic Namira Mosque. The sermon was broadcast live in 35 languages, including Bengali. In the sermon, he stressed unity of the Muslim community, the establishment of Islamic values and the maintenance of world peace.
After the sermon, pilgrims combined the Zuhr and Asr prayers and headed to Muzdalifah after sunset. There, they spent the night under the open sky. Pilgrims also gathered pebbles for the stoning of the devil at Mina.
The main rituals of Eid ul-Adha begin Wednesday with the stoning of the largest pillar at Mina’s Jamarat on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah. Pilgrims then offer animal sacrifices in hopes of divine acceptance. After the sacrifice, they shave or trim their hair and remove the ihram. They then perform the tawaf around the Kaaba.
The festive mood of Eid spreads across the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries. Expatriate Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Indian Muslims bought sacrificial animals — cattle and goats — well in advance, and many have made preparations to share the joy of Eid with family and loved ones.
To ensure a smooth Hajj operation, the Saudi government has put in place extensive security and transport arrangements. To ease the discomfort of intense heat, water fountains and shaded areas have been arranged at various points. The Saudi authorities are also operating around 24,000 special buses to help pilgrims move around.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report