Hyderabad: Eid-ul-Adha celebrated

HYDERABAD MUSLIMS here celebrated Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, the 'festival of sacrifice' with congregational prayers on Wednesday. The Eid is the second big festival of Muslims, which is celebrated on the 10th of the Islamic month of Zul-hijja every year.

This is the first Eid prayer of Muslims after 2019, as public gathering and religious congregations were prohibited during the Coronavirus pandemic. Following Covid guidelines, the community skipped performing Eid-ul-Fitr prayers twice and Eidul- Adha once for the last 16 months.

They had performed the prayers at home. This year they celebrated Eid with traditional gaiety, as after a year they offered congregational prayers in mosques and also in eidgahs. They prayed for the world to become free from the virus at the earliest. Said Mohammed Nazish, a worshiper at Mir Alam Eidgah, "offering congregational prayer after three Eids feels happy and divine.

Thanks to the government for controlling the virus and re-opening eidgahs and allowing religious congregations with Covid protocols." During the day scores of people dressed in festive attire gathered at mosques and eidgahs and attended the prayers.

At the Eidgah Mir Alam, the prayers were led by Maulana Rizwan Qureshi, Khateeb Mecca Masjid at 9:30 am. The gathering was not encouraged in view of Covid. Eidgahs, including Qutub Shahi, Madannapet, Bilali and others in the twin cities and historic mosques, like Mecca Masjid and Shahi Masjid, too witnessed less gatherings.

As Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali on July 16 had informed that Muslims can offer congregational Eid prayers after a year. The eidgahs were repaired and renovated. A large number of people preferred to attend prayers at local mosques in their neighbourhood where the prayers were held as early as 6:30 am, keeping in view the other festival-related tasks.

Many people after prayers were seen rushing to their houses to complete the sacrificing task of offering 'Qurbani' (of animal). The incessant rain in several Telangana districts has subdued the festive spirit as people were facing problems for sacrificing animals.

Afterwards they visited houses of relatives, friends and well-wishers to offer a part of the sacrificial meat in rain. To mark the occasion, Muslims re-enact Prophet Ibrahim's obedience with the symbolic sacrifice of a lamb, goat, ox, camel, or another animal that is then divided into threes to be shared equally among family, friends and the needy.E