Today Muslims around the world are celebrating the Festival of the Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays in the Muslim calendar. On this day Muslims gather at a mosque for a common prayer and sacrifice an animal to honor the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his only son.
The holiday is marked on the 10th day of the Zul Hijjah month and marks the end of the fifth pillar of Islam. According to a tradition, every Muslim is obligated to sacrifice a lamb or a cow, or other livestock animal. Eid al-Adha is celebrated for three days.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Muslims of Russia on the Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday, the Kremlin press service reported.
"Eid al-Adha calls for kindness and justice, mercy and piety, careful and cordial attitude towards those around us, our fellow human beings. These lofty humanistic ideals are the solid foundation for a person’s moral upbringing," the message says.
Putin pointed to the importance of the fact that "today the true values of Islam continue to serve as the basis for the spiritual life of the Muslim community of Russia" and "help unite people and follow the traditions of good-neighborliness between representatives of different ethnic groups, religions and cultures," which have deep historical roots in Russia.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has congratulated the Azerbaijanis on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.
"I extend my heartfelt congratulations and sincerest wishes to you and all our compatriots living outside Azerbaijan on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, which symbolizes moral unity, solidarity and brotherhood," the president said in the message.
"Sacrifice ceremony is remarkable for the fact that Islam, which encourages love for and obedience to the Most High, respect for high moral values, mercy and tolerance, was chosen as the way of truth for people. This blessed holiday embodies spiritual and moral unity of Muslims around the world, pious people's love for the Almighty and readiness for dedication in the name of justice," President Aliyev said.
"Being devoted to progressive Islamic values, the people of Azerbaijan have cherished Eid al-Adha as one of the blessed days since ancient times, even during the most difficult periods," he added. "Millions of Muslims, including thousands of our fellow countrymen, who now demonstrate great solidarity as they perform Hajj, express their gratitude to the Almighty and pray for peace and tranquility in our country and in the world."
"On these festive days, Muslims do their sacred duty for Allah and religion, make sacrifices, help the poor and needy, pay tribute to the undying memory of our martyrs. It is with great satisfaction that I want to emphasize that every such festive occasion becomes a triumph of benevolence, unity and equality, devotion to the Motherland and national statehood in our society," he stressed.
"I do believe that this blessed holiday will boost our people's heroism and devotion for the progress of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan and will further strengthen civil peace and national and moral solidarity in our country. May Allah accept the sacrifices you make and bless each of you with the best of health, your families with happiness and your homes with abundance," the Azerbaijani president concluded.
"(Eid) prayers in mosques and communities in our country traditionally bring together representatives of various ethnic groups from Russia and even from around the world of any age, both young and old. Our state has historically been based on such unshakable foundations as faith, moral principles, family values, which in their entirety determine the way of life of the country’s population with its ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity," the chairman of the Council of Muftis and the Religious Board of Muslims of Russia, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin said.
He called on all Muslims during the Eid al-Adha festival not just to take care of themselves and their next of kin but also of their neighbors.
Muslims gathered at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque and started prayers at 7.00am. The Eid al-Adha festival will be celebrated in five mosques and at three additional sites in Moscow, while another 39 sites located in the Moscow region will be able to hold about 100,000 people.
Vestnik Kavkaza congratulates all the Muslims on this great holiday.
