MUSLIM "EID-AL-ADHA" Dr. Mohamed ElMasry - President of K-W Islamic Association

On Thursday June 11th, Canadian Muslims join their fellow Muslims worldwide in the celebration of Eid Al Adha: The Feast of Sacrifice, commemorating Abraham's obedience to sacrifice his son Ishmael, and the offering of the lamb to replace Ishmael - thus signalling an end to human sacrifice and holding human life at the highest level. Families celebrate by sacrificing farm animals to feed the poor and the needy.

The day starts with an early morning prayer followed by festive activities that include visiting relatives and friends and enjoying a Canadian summer day outdoors. Children wear their best traditional clothes and enjoy games, sweets and cake; and would probably receive a present or two from parents and grandparents.

Close to two million Muslims, on that day, will have just finished assembling in a state of devotion, on a mountain top near the city of Mekka in Saudi Arabia. The assembly occurs at the end of the annual Islamic Pilgrimage to Mekka : Al Hajj.

The Hajj at least once in a life time, is required of every Muslim, if he/she is financially and physically able.

The Ka'bah itself, the focus of this act of worship was built by the prophets Abraham and his son Ishmael; It is a cube-like building measuring about 35 feet on each side and is 50 feet high, and stands today in the centre of Al Haram mosque, the largest in the world, accommodating more than 600,000 people at a time.

Hajj is a spiritual experience, when Muslim men and women, rich and poor, from all races, gather from across the globe, clad in simple dress of white. The men wear two white sheets, the women are dressed in a simple light colour dress mostly white. Every member of this great assembly sets out from home, on the journey of Hajj, concentrating his or her devotion on the Creator, not in solitude, but in the company of others.

This article was originally published in Cross Cultures Magazine in Volume 1 - Issue 4 - 1992. Unauthorized copying, distribution or other usage without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.