Local Muslims Observe Eid al-Adha

Muslims living in Pasadena are celebrating Eid Al Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, which is the the second major Muslim festival after Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.

Worldwide, Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha from July 20 to 22 which corresponds with the third day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in which millions of Muslims from around the world — an average three million each year — travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the Muslim holy city, to fulfill a once-in-a-lifetime duty.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. All able-bodied Muslims who can afford to travel to Mecca for the pilgrimage are obligated to do so at least once in their lifetimes.

Because of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has limited attendance to the Hajj this year to Saudi Arabian citizens and residents only, restricting it to a maximum of 60,000 individuals who must be fully vaccinated before they can be allowed to enter Mecca.

The Hajj started on July 18.

During Eid Al Adha, Muslims commemorate the event when God commanded the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his own son. Because of his faithfulness, Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his son, but before he could do so, an angel stopped him. Eid Al Adha is therefore seen as a celebration to honor Ibrahim’s willingness to listen to what Allah had asked him to do.

Islamic festivals are based on the lunar calendar. Each year, the dates for Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha change but Eid Al Adha is always about two months after Eid Al Fitr. During both these feasts, Muslims go to special prayers at their local mosque and celebrate later with family and friends.

With COVID-19 restrictions, celebrations among Muslims in Pasadena will likely be virtual, with families and friends communicating through Zoom as they celebrate in their own homes.