Muslims are set to celebrate this year’s Eid-UL- Adha (Festival of sacrifice) on July 21, 2021 according to Chief Kadhi Ahmad Muhdhar.
Chief Kadhi said that the moon was not sighted in East Africa region therefore the last month according to Islamic calendar starts today. He encouraged Muslims to assist the less privileged in the society.
On his part, chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) in Tana River Sheikh Abdalla Barissa urged Muslims in the County to observe COVID-19 protocols in their celebrations next week.
Eid-UL-Adha is marked on the tenth day of the month of Dhul Hijja in the Islamic lunar calendar and after the completion of the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Makka in Saudia Arabia country.
Muslims usually thronged the holy city to perform the annual pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and it is obligatory to only those who are financially capable and of good health.
Saudi Arabia has restricted this year’s hajj pilgrimage to 60,000 people within the Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival of sacrifice is important in the Islamic faith since Muslims commemorate the Prophet Ibrahim consecration and willingness to sacrifice his son. This was a command from God to test Prophet Ibrahim’s commitment. At last, he slaughtered a ram in place of his son.
Muslims after the Eid prayers slaughter an animal as a remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s readiness to slaughter his son. The animal must be of good health and attain a certain age in order to be slaughtered.
The meat from the slaughtered animal is then divided into three equal portions: one is for one family use, neighbors and friends and the final portion of the less privileged in the society.
By Sadik Hassan
