MECCA: Eid-ul-Azha prayers were offered at Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and Al-Masjid an-Nabawī, the Prophet’s Mosque, at Medina in Saudi Arabia on Friday (today).
Pilgrims will now move to Mina where they will perform the ritual of ‘stoning of the jamarat or the devil’ and sacrifice animals.
Marking the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God’s command, Muslims mark the day by sacrificing animals such as sheep, goats and camels. The meat is then shared among family and friends and also donated to the poor.
Muslims across continents marked the festival, as the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca draws to a close.
Earlier today, millions offered Eid prayers in Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Philippines and other places around the world where the first day of Eid-ul-Azha is being observed.
The festival was celebrated across Africa, with devotees in countries such as Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria and Kenya attending customary congregational prayers.
Palestinians flocked to al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem for prayers.
Eid prayers will also be offered across United States and Europe today.
More than 2.3 million pilgrims, from all over the world, had arrived for the five-day pilgrimage, a once in a lifetime religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey.
The Indian subcontinent, including Kashmir, will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha tomorrow.
