Latest news with #IslamicFestival
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Eid Al-Adha celebrated across New Zealand
Members of the Islamic community celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Auckland on Saturday. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Eid Day Trust Thousands attended community events organised by the New Zealand Eid Day Trust in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch last weekend to celebrate one of the most important Islamic festivals of the year. The biggest gathering for Eid Al-Adha took place in Auckland at the Go Media Stadium, where more than 10,000 people attended the event, organisers said. Eid Al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, a mandatory duty for Muslims that should be fulfilled at least once in their life if they are able to. The festival falls on the 10th day of the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It fell on 7 June this year, with festivities extending throughout the weekend. The celebrations started with morning prayers at mosques across the country. The festivities in the country's largest city were led by the South Auckland Muslim Association in Otahuhu, Maunatul Islam Trust of New Zealand in Māngere and North Shore Islamic Association in Northcote, among others. This was followed by an Eid carnival that included food stalls from 35 different ethnicities, ethnic clothing counters, henna art and information kiosks. Children at the events enjoyed Quran quizzes, bouncy castles, candy floss and face painting. Javed Dadabhai, chairperson of the New Zealand Eid Day Trust, said Eid Al-Adha was a day for spiritual reflection on which one expresses gratitude for what one was blessed with in life. "The main message [during the festivities] was centred around sacrifice and having appreciation for what we have [that] correlated very well with what is happening around the world," he said, noting what was currently happening in Gaza. For those who missed out the festivities in Auckland over the weekend, the North Shore Islamic Association in collaboration with the Kaipatiki Local Board is organising an Eid on the Shore event on 14 June. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Association of Canterbury is organising its Eid Al-Adha feast on the same day in Christchurch. NZ Eid Day festivities will also be held in Hamilton on 21 June.
ABC News
07-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Eid al-Adha festival in Perth highlights multicultural unity and spiritual reflection
Thousands of Muslims across Perth and Western Australia have come together to celebrate the start of one of the biggest holidays on the Islamic calendar. Praying side-by-side at one of Perth's largest open spaces, hundreds of worshippers gathered at Whiteman Park to mark Eid al-Adha with a special prayer called Salat al-Eid. Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the act of faith shown by Prophet Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's commandment. It also coincides with the ending of Hajj – the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. The holiday follows Eid al-Fitr, which was celebrated earlier this year to mark the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting and spiritual reflection. Sheikh Saleh Ibrahim, the imam of the Islamic Centre of WA, has been leading the Eid prayer at the park for years. 'We've been doing this for nearly 30 years now, we started at Kings Park with about 50 people but once the community grew, we moved to Whiteman Park,' he said. 'Now there's hundreds of people at the park, and that's besides the many mosques around Perth where more people attend. 'So it's very important for us a Muslim community to celebrate and enjoy these blessed days.' Sheikh Ibrahim said Eid al-Adha was a time for deep reflection and submission to the will of God, generosity and empathy. The festival involves a ritual sacrifice of livestock such as sheep, goats or cows and sharing the meat among family, friends and those less fortunate. People will also mark the occasion by giving gifts, wearing their best clothes and eating sweets. Following the Eid prayer, the festivities continued with a selection of food trucks, show-rides, lolly bags and charitable donations. Mahmoud Abu Geras has attended the annual Eid event since he was a child and now brings along his own children. 'It's a beautiful occasion to spend with family and friends, there's plenty of food, toys and rides around for the kids,' he said. 'There's a lot of happy people here today … you've got the young, you've got the old and it's just beautiful to have this multiculturalism, this gathering together and celebrating it all as one.' His friend also acknowledged how significant the event was in bringing different communities together. 'It's a beautiful thing seeing different cultures, people from all different backgrounds come together to celebrate the same thing,' Abdul Rahman Mohamed Ali said. 'Regardless if you know someone or not, everybody's shaking hands, giving each other a hug, embracing and wishing each other Eid Mubarak.' But for attendees, the day was also about reflecting on their fellow Muslims around the world. 'It is marked by a bit of sadness given what's going on in the world and the suffering that's going on,' community leader Toni Pikos-Sallie said. 'It is a happy time definitely, but we also can't forget that people are suffering.' The mother of seven said the community was appreciative of the privilege to practice their faith freely and to celebrate such holy occasions. 'The world is beginning to realise we are all human, we all have a place here and we should be living in peace and harmony,' Dr Pikos-Sallie said. 'On days like this when we are thinking of the needy and those suffering and we're reflecting on our actions and trying to better ourselves, people are starting to see we are an important part of the community and society.'
Arab News
05-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Saudi, Islamic leaders exchange Eid Al-Adha greetings
RIYADH: The leadership of Saudi Arabia on Thursday received telegrams from the heads of several Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent their own goodwill messages, wishing Islamic leaders progress and prosperity for the festival. The crown prince on Thursday also received a telephone call from Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Muslims worldwide will begin the four-day celebration of Eid Al-Adha on Friday. The holiday occurs in the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah, where 1.4 million pilgrims this week began their rituals.
Al Jazeera
05-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Al Jazeera
Eid al-Adha greetings in different languages
Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, is observed on the third day of Hajj, which falls on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha is the second major festival in the Islamic calendar, celebrated roughly 70 days after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. This year, the first day of Eid al-Adha falls on June 6 in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries, while some other countries will mark it on June are about 1.9 billion Muslims around the world, approximately 25 percent of the world population. Indonesia has the world's highest Muslim population, with some 230 million Muslims living in the country. Pakistan is second with about 212 million Muslims, followed by India (200 million), Bangladesh (150 million) and Nigeria (100 million). In the days leading up to Eid al-Adha, Muslims prepare by preparing their homes, buying new clothes and planning special meals for the occasion. On the first day of Eid, those who are financially able are required to sacrifice an animal – usually a sheep, goat, cow, or camel – and distribute a portion of the meat to the less fortunate. This act commemorates the Prophet Abraham's (Ibrahim) willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmail (Ismael) in obedience to God. The rest of the holiday is spent visiting family and friends, exchanging greetings and gifts, and sharing festive meals. The most common greeting is Eid Mubarak. The Arabic saying translates to 'blessed Eid'. Here is how people say Eid Mubarak in different languages around the world.
Arab News
02-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan announces four-day holiday on Eid Al-Adha
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced a four-day holiday on Eid Al-Adha starting from June 6, the Cabinet Division said on Monday. Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar. The other, Eid Al-Fitr, occurs at the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and the meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor. 'The prime minister has been pleased to declare 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th June, 2025, (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha,' the Cabinet Division said. Last week, Pakistan's moon sighting committee announced that the crescent marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah was not sighted due to unclear skies and the Eid Al-Adha festival would commence from June 7. Eid Al-Adha is observed on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Peace Be Upon Him) to sacrifice his son on God's command. Dhul Hijjah is the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, a sacred period during which the Hajj pilgrimage takes place. This year, the annual Hajj pilgrimage will commence on June 4.
