Millions of Muslims around the world are gathering to celebrate the second holiday of the Islamic year, Eid Al-Adha, marking the end of the annual Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Hajj is the largest organized religious gathering in the world. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for physically and financially able Muslims to attend at least once in a lifetime.
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The Fort Collins Muslim community will celebrate this holiday starting with a religious speech followed by a prayer and community breakfast at the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, located at 925 W. Lake St. They will also be hosting a community barbecue at 5 p.m. Saturday. Both the sermon and the barbecue will be open to all Muslim and non-Muslim members of the community.
Following Hajj, which begins on the eighth day of the Islamic (Hijri) month called Dul Hijja, Eid Al-Adha is celebrated. This holiday commemorates the Islamic story of the prophet Abraham, who was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Ishmael and in reward for his intended obedience was given a ram to sacrifice instead of his son. People are gathering in all parts of the world to celebrate this day and to commemorate it, they will sacrifice cows, goats, or lambs and distribute one third of the meat to family, one third to friends and one third to the poor and needy.
Collegian Reporter Israa Eldeiry can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @israaeldeiry.
ace • Sep 25, 2015 at 8:46 pm
Out of curiosity, where is the 1/3 potion of the meat which is to go to the poor and needy destined for? Is meat slaughtered at the Islamic Center, or, is it done off-site? How many different countries are represented at the Islamic Center in Fort Collins, and what nations do they hail from?
Omar Shakir • Jun 25, 2017 at 10:16 pm
Hello Ace… it is eid once again. I am sorry that your questions went unanswered. The 1/3 portion of the meat is donated to the local needy. Meat that is slaughtered is done at area farms and slaughter houses that are able to provide the service. As a whole the countries that I know that are part of our community are people from but not limited to.. Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Omar, Qatar, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Algeria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, USA of course and New Jersey.
Rob • Sep 25, 2015 at 2:00 pm
(waiting for Islamaphobia in 3…2….1….)