Muslims in the state celebrated Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, with congregational prayers on Monday. This festival, which falls on the 10th of the Islamic month of Zul-hijja, commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to Allah. Instead, Allah sent a sheep to be slaughtered in place of his son, and since then, sacrificing cattle has become a major part of Eid-ul-Adha celebrations.
During Eid, devout Muslims buy and slaughter animals, sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor. They re-enact Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience by symbolically sacrificing an animal and dividing it into threes to share with family, friends, and the needy.
In Hyderabad, Muslims gathered at mosques and Eidgahs to offer prayers early in the morning. Maulana Rizwan Qureshi led prayers at Eidgah Mir Alam, where about one lakh people attended. Similar prayers were held at historic mosques like Mecca Masjid and Eidgah Bilali Masab Tank, among others. Many important personalities and officials from the minority welfare department also attended.
After prayers, people rushed home to complete the sacrificial task of offering ‘Qurbani’ of their animals. However, heavy rains in the evening dampened the festive spirit. Butchers from surrounding districts like Vikarabad, Mahabubnagar, and Nalgonda came to the city to meet the demand for sacrificial animals. The police made sure to maintain peace by deploying pickets and patrolling sensitive areas.
In other districts of the state, Muslims also offered Eid prayers. The sale of sheep, goats, and cattle continued as people purchased animals for sacrifice. Eid celebrations will continue until Wednesday.
