By NINIEK KARMINI
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Much less spending, greater costs and fewer animal sacrifices subdued the same old festive temper because the Muslim vacation of Eid al-Adha was celebrated around the globe.
Eid al-Adha, referred to as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” coincides with the ultimate rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
It’s a joyous event, for which meals is a trademark, with religious Muslims shopping for and slaughtering animals and sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor.
‘No flour, no shelter, no mosques’
Palestinians throughout the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the beginning of the three-day feast early Friday with prayers exterior destroyed mosques and houses.
For the second 12 months for the reason that conflict with Israel broke out, no Muslims in Gaza have been capable of journey to Saudi Arabia to carry out the standard pilgrimage. With a lot of Gaza in rubble, males and kids have been compelled to carry Eid al-Adha prayers within the open air, and with meals provides dwindling, households have been having to make do with what they may scrape collectively.
“This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people,” stated Kamel Emran after attending prayers within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis. “There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses … The conditions are very, very harsh.”
The U.N.’s Meals and Agriculture Group in Rome stated Thursday that Gaza’s persons are projected to fall into acute meals insecurity by September, with practically 500,000 individuals experiencing excessive meals deprivation, resulting in malnutrition and hunger.
“This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip,” stated Rein Paulson, director of the FAO workplace of emergencies and resilience.
Prayers for Gaza
The conflict in Gaza and the battle to have a good time have been on the forefront of the minds of Muslims in Kenya, Imam Abdulrahman Mursal stated as he led Eid prayers within the capital, Nairobi.
“We ask Allah to hear their (Palestinian) cries. We feel their pain, as much as we are far from them,” Mursal stated. “However what unites us is our Muslim brotherhood, so we ask Allah to present them victory and to present victory to all the opposite Muslims wherever they’re, if they’re going through any type of oppression.
Eid preparations in South Asia
Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic story of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God. Earlier than he may perform the sacrifice, God offered a ram as an providing. Within the Christian and Jewish telling, Abraham is ordered to kill one other son, Isaac.
South Asian nations like India and Bangladesh will have a good time Eid al-Adha on Saturday. Forward of the competition, many Muslims within the area have been turning to livestock markets to purchase and promote tens of millions of animals for sacrifice.
In New Delhi, sellers have been busy tending to their animals and negotiating with potential patrons.
Mohammad Ali Qureshi, one of many sellers, stated this 12 months his goats have been fetching greater costs than final 12 months: “Earlier, the sale of goats was slow, but now the market is good. Prices are on the higher side.”
Competition preparations additionally have been peaking in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the place many Muslims dye sheep and goats in henna earlier than they’re sacrificed.
“We are following the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim,” stated Riyaz Wani, a resident in Kashmir’s primary metropolis of Srinagar, as his household utilized henna on a sheep they plan to sacrifice.
Indonesia markets altering
In Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, Muslim worshippers have been shoulder-to-shoulder within the streets and the Istiqlal Grand Mosque was stuffed for morning prayers Friday.
Outdoors Jakarta, the Jonggol Cattle Market bustled with a whole lot of merchants hoping to promote to patrons on the lookout for sacrificial animals. Whereas gross sales elevated forward of Eid, sellers stated their companies have misplaced clients in recent times on account of financial hardship following the COVID-19 pandemic.
A foot-and-mouth illness outbreak in 2022 and 2023 considerably dampened the usually booming vacation commerce in goats, cows and sheep, although Indonesia’s authorities has labored to beat that outbreak.
Rahmat Debleng, one of many sellers available in the market, stated earlier than the pandemic and the FMD outbreak, he may promote greater than 100 cows two weeks forward of Eid al-Adha. However on the eve of the celebration this 12 months, solely 43 of his livestock have been bought and 6 cows are nonetheless left in his stall.
Jakarta metropolis administration information recorded the variety of sacrificial animals accessible this 12 months at 35,133, a decline of 57% in comparison with the earlier 12 months.
Stoning the satan on the Hajj
Greater than 1.6 million Muslims have been in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on Friday to carry out the Hajj ritual, the symbolic stoning of the satan.
Mina is the place Muslims imagine the Prophet Ibrahim’s religion was examined when God commanded him to sacrifice his solely son Ismail.
Ibrahim was ready to undergo the command, however then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. Within the Christian and Jewish variations of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his different son, Isaac.
Solidarity and prayer in Congo
As Muslims around the globe celebrated Eid al-Adha, the vacation was tinged with bitterness within the rebel-controlled metropolis of Goma, in jap Congo.
Beneath the looming shadow of the occupation, a whole lot of worshippers carrying vibrant tunics and hijabs gathered at Goma’s Stadium of Unity to wish for peace.
The decades-long battle in jap Congo escalated in January, when the M23 rebels superior and seized the strategic metropolis of Goma.
Regardless of the difficult state of affairs within the area, these gathered expressed their gratitude for with the ability to have a good time the vacation.
“We were anxious because of the war, but by God’s grace, we made it here,” Fatuma Ramazani, a Muslim resident of Goma, instructed The Related Press. “We prayed ‘in’ peace, and that is why we prayed ‘for’ peace to return,” he added.
“Islam is a religion of peace, so we can only pray for peace and for God’s grace to help all those involved in this security issue to see how to prioritize peace,” Grâce Omar, one other worshipper, stated.
Within the crowded stadium, imams emphasised the significance of solidarity and prayer in tough instances.
“Today is a special day for Muslims, so I take this opportunity to pray to God to bring peace to Congo in general, and to areas plagued by violence, like Goma, in particular. It is time for people to say ‘enough’ to all that is happening in the country,” stated Imam Sheikh Sabiti Djaffar Al Katanty.
Hardship and hope in Nigeria
Eid al-Adha celebrations in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, have been overshadowed by one of many worst cost-of-living disaster in many years.
The extreme hardship stems from current authorities financial insurance policies, meant to spice up financial savings and entice traders. As an alternative, these measures have fueled excessive inflation and despatched the naira plummeting to report lows in opposition to the greenback.
The price of rams for the standard Eid al-Adha sacrifice, central to the celebration, has greater than doubled since final 12 months.
Regardless of these challenges, some religious Muslims in Nigeria, the place roughly half the inhabitants practices Islam, discovered purpose for hope.
“We know prices are a bit on the high side and everything is hard,” Lagos scholar Amira Mustapha stated. “But we should look beyond that and see the positive side of things, celebrate, be joyful for seeing another year and pray for seeing many more years.”
Christians and Muslims introduced collectively in Turkey
An occasion celebrating Eid-al-Adha on Friday introduced collectively Christian and Muslim spiritual leaders and residents in Turkey’s southeastern metropolis of Mardin, based on state-run media.
Organized by the Mardin Municipality’s Artwork Academy, attendees included Mardin Governor Tuncay Akkoyun, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop Saliba Ozmen and Deputy Mufti Ali Uney, alongside congregants from each faiths.
“Just lately we celebrated Easter. At present we’re celebrating Eid al-Adha. Tomorrow there will likely be one other vacation, and we are going to once more be collectively, stated Bishop Ozmen.
Deputy Mufti Uney praised the gathering as a “great example of co-existence” and wished for fraternity and solidarity.
___
Related Press journalists Shonal Ganguly, in New Delhi, Dar Yasin in Srinagar, India, Inaara Gangji, in Nairobi, Justin Kabumba, in Goma, Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey and Dan Ikpoyi in Lagos, Nigeria contributed to this report.
Initially Revealed: June 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM PDT
