Happy Eid! A Guide & Personal Reflection
This article will take approximately 2 minutes to read
Published 27 Jun 2023 in Raising Awareness
Today’s story is all about the celebration of Eid al Adha, what it is and the importance it has around the world. Plus, EmbRACE member and colleague, Amina Imran, shares what the celebration means to her.
What is Eid Al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated on the third day of Hajj, which falls on June 29th this year – and lasts for three days.
It’s the second major Muslim festival in the Islamic calendar after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.
You can read more about Ramadan here.
On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims who can afford to are required to sacrifice a sheep (can be a goat or cow) and distribute a set percentage of it to those less fortunate.
This is done in symbolic remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim, who, in Islamic tradition it is believed, was asked to sacrifice his son Ismail by God. Just as in other religious traditions, God stopped it by replacing the son with a sheep.
What is Hajj?
Hajj is the largest Muslim gathering in the world. It is a sacred pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that is required of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime – it is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, on average two million people entered Mecca for the pilgrimage each year. In 2022, amid COVID restrictions, nearly one million pilgrims performed Hajj.
Pilgrims are required to enter Mecca in the purified state of ihram. The state of ihram is a symbol of humility and spiritual focus and serves to unify pilgrims from different backgrounds.
For men, this means being clothed in seamless white cloth only, with one piece wrapped around the waist and another draped over the left shoulder, with the right shoulder bare at all times.
Women can wear any plain clothing of their choice but should observe the rules of hijab and cannot cover their faces.
Recent Updates on Hajj from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
-
Muslim women for the first time, and from now on, will be allowed to perform Hajj on their own from around the world. The majority of the pilgrims are from Asian countries, according to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s statistics bureau, followed by pilgrims from Arab nations.
-
2023 will be the first time since the pandemic that numbers will resume over the two-million yearly pilgrim’s mark.
Source: Saudi Arabia General Authority for Statistics – June 2023
What Does Eid Mean To Me? – By Amina Imran, Fit to Land and Communications Assistant Manager
Now that you’ve been introduced to some background info, I’d like to share a personal reflection. If it was up to me, I’d probably write a whole novel on this… I don’t speak much, but I can certainly write for England! However, for conciseness, I’ll focus on 2 striking themes that I associate with Eid: unity and diversity.
Amongst the feasts, gifts and dressing up, the Eid prayer is what excites me the most. We start the day nice and early (kinda like Christmas!), put on our best clothes, and make our way to the mosque. Since the weather has been pretty super for the past few years, it’s actually normal to have ‘Eid in the Park’ events, where everyone prays outside.
So…where does unity fit into this? Muslims are encouraged to pray the Eid prayer in congregation, which I see as a means of oneness. Everyone is performing the exact same actions, in beautiful synchrony. All the statuses, salaries, and ethnicities don’t mean a thing during this unified connection with the Creator. Nobody is seen as better than the other.
This brings me to diversity. Imagine the prayer still taking place. There are colourful, vibrant rows and rows of people, standing side by side, in worship. Rich garments from every continent, flowing so gracefully in the light breeze… it really is a special sight, which reminds me how my religion is in fact, one of diversity, acceptance, and love.
Thank you for reading :)