Mumbai: Hundreds of thousands of Muslims across the Arab World, the United States, Canada and the European countries are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Adha on Saturday October 04, 2014.
[Haj pilgrims arriving at Arafat on Friday October 03, 2014. Standing on the plains of Arafat is compulsory ritual of Hajj.]
Eid al-Adha is celebrated every year as a mark of respect to Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismael. It coincides with Haj - the fifth pillar of Islam, when Muslims from across the world converge in Makkah for the annual ritual.
While Eid al-Adha is celebrated on 10th of Dhul Hijja, Haj begins with pilgrims standing on the plains of Arafat. The Haj rituals last for 4 days.
In India and the sub continent, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on Monday October 06, 2014.
The difference in Eid celebrations in India and other countries is because of the lunar system on which the Islamic calendar is based. In this system, the new month begins with sighting of the new moon on the 29th of the preceding month. If the moon is not sighted on 29th, the next day is counted as 30th day of the month.
The main prayers on Eid al-Adha is the sacrifice of animal. It is performed to commemorate the sacrifices made by Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismael - the father-son duo.
Meanwhile, over two million Muslims from across the world on Friday October 03, 2014 prayed on the plains of Arafat for peace and prosperity.
The Grand Mufti Abdul Azeez bin Abdullah Al As-Shaikh led the Zuhur and Asr prayers at the Masjid-e-Namirah. In the customary sermon, he urged the Muslims to desist from violence and called the Muslim Ummah to shun sectarian differences.
Islam is a complete code of life, it's a perfect and definite religion of Allah, it teaches brotherhood among Muslims and provides spiritual, moral and social training," said the grand Mufti while addressing millions of Hajj pilgrims.
The chief mufti urged Muslims to keep away from crimes, such as murder and other evil deeds.
"The murder is great fitna (mischief) in Islam. Our religion teaches the abidance of Allah and His Prophet… Islam prohibits obscenity as haram and sin… Oh Muslims! Be God-fearing, keep a control on yourselves," he said.
"Oh believers! Murder of a single person is the murder of entire humanity, and the one who committed this act unduly shall burn in the hell forever."
"Tyranny throws one in darkness whereas takwah (fear of Allah Almighty) leads one towards success," he said while addressing the world's biggest Muslim gathering.
The Mufti said un-Islamic forces are hatching conspiracies against Islam and Muslim countries. "Blood is being shed… Khawarij (those who seceded from the mainstream Islam) are still among the ranks of Muslims."
The Mufti said Jihad is also an obligation of Islam which should be carried out as per true and definite teachings of Islam.
"Jihad is better than everything else in the way of Allah, it dispels fitna (evil/malicious acts) and fassad (anarchy/bloodshed), everyone of you should follow the teachings of Islam which is a perfect religion."
Praying to Allah for betterment and falah (success) of the Muslim ummah, the Saudi religious cleric urged Muslims to observe patience in their lives in testing times, protect each other's lives and properties and work together for the success and prosperity of Muslim societies.
Concluding his annual sermon, Mufti Abdullah prayed for the Muslims of Syria, where internal strife claims thousands of lives.
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Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam that every capable Muslim must perform at least once, begins with over pilgrims praying Arafat plain on Youm-ul-Arafa
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