Cities around the globe were filled with celebration and vibrant festivities today as the Muslim world observed Eid al-Adha, one of the two major holidays in Islam.
The “Festival of Sacrifice”, commemorating the ancient story of the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son before God interceded comes two months ten days after Eid al-Fitr
It is a time for family gatherings, distributing meat to the less fortunate, and intense worship.
In the Saudi holy cities of Mecca and Medina, over 2.5 million pilgrims from across the world gathered to perform the annual Hajj rituals and observe Eid prayers at Islam’s two most sacred mosques. Massive crowds circled the cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque, supplicating to Allah.
Across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the West, joyous Eid festivities and prayers brought Muslim communities together in celebration today.
In Egypt, residents painted their homes and baked special desserts. Across Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, families hosted gatherings and children lit firecrackers.
In Nigeria, President Tinubu congratulated the Muslim faithful, saying “I pray that Allah accepts their supplications and acts of obedience.”
In Kampala, Uganda, worshippers thronged open fields for Eid prayers before returning home for festivities.
From Accra to Abuja, Rabat to Pretoria, from London to Riyadh, the joyous Eid celebrations today displayed the diversity and vitality of the global Muslim community.