Local Muslims to Celebrate Eid
The new clothes have been purchased and the toys are in gift bags awaiting the festival of Eid on Tuesday.
Ghada Al-Shurafa, her three children and other extended family members will come together for the Muslim festival of sacrifice on Tuesday and share a meal in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Her husband, Rabih Alkhatib has travelled to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. During the four-day festival of Eid Al-Adha nearly 2 million Muslims visit Mecca, also known as the pilgrimage to Hajj.
Every able-bodied Muslim is expected to visit Mecca once in their lifetime.
The annual Eid Al-Adha Islamic festival commemorates sacrifice and remembers the prophet Abraham and his obedience and willingness to serve God.
Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Ismail. Once God saw that Abraham would agree, he asked him to sacrifice a lamb instead.
Al-Shurafa said each Muslim family is expected to show sacrifice and donate lamb or beef to needy families.
"We must show our willingness to sacrifice for others by giving back what we love to the community," said Al-Shurafa, a Kitchener dentist, whose family donated two-thirds of a lamb to a needy family.
Local halal stores help donate the meat to about 100 Muslim families in need, she said.
Ten days before Eid begins, Muslims fast and break the fast at sunset each day.
The Waterloo-chapter of the Muslim Association of Canada is holding an Eid celebration at Bingemans on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About 3,000 people are expected at the celebration.
"We all come together to receive the blessing of the festival," she said.
Morning prayers will be held at the Kitchener Mosque on Victoria Street at 8 a.m.
This is the second Eid festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan which was held in August. For 30 days, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, breaking their fast each day at dusk.
Source: The Record
Her husband, Rabih Alkhatib has travelled to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. During the four-day festival of Eid Al-Adha nearly 2 million Muslims visit Mecca, also known as the pilgrimage to Hajj.
Every able-bodied Muslim is expected to visit Mecca once in their lifetime.
The annual Eid Al-Adha Islamic festival commemorates sacrifice and remembers the prophet Abraham and his obedience and willingness to serve God.
Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Ismail. Once God saw that Abraham would agree, he asked him to sacrifice a lamb instead.
Al-Shurafa said each Muslim family is expected to show sacrifice and donate lamb or beef to needy families.
"We must show our willingness to sacrifice for others by giving back what we love to the community," said Al-Shurafa, a Kitchener dentist, whose family donated two-thirds of a lamb to a needy family.
Local halal stores help donate the meat to about 100 Muslim families in need, she said.
Ten days before Eid begins, Muslims fast and break the fast at sunset each day.
The Waterloo-chapter of the Muslim Association of Canada is holding an Eid celebration at Bingemans on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About 3,000 people are expected at the celebration.
"We all come together to receive the blessing of the festival," she said.
Morning prayers will be held at the Kitchener Mosque on Victoria Street at 8 a.m.
This is the second Eid festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan which was held in August. For 30 days, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, breaking their fast each day at dusk.
Source: The Record
