ASTANA,
January 9, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Muslims in the Central Asian
republic of Kazakhstan will have an official holiday on Tuesday, January
9, to celebrate `Eid Al-Adha for the first time.
The
parliament has recently endorsed a decision declaring the first day of
`Eid Al-Adha an official holiday.
The
decision was welcome by Muslims in the former Soviet republic, who
believe it was long overdue, says IslamOnline.net's correspondent.
Last
year, President Nursultan Nazarbayev pledged to declare the Muslim
religious feast an official holiday.
Kazakh
officials say Muslims make up 62% of Kazakhstan's 15 million population,
Orthodox 35% and followers of other faiths the remaining percentage.
Traditions
Kazakh
Muslim celebrations of `Eid Al-Adha is quite similar to that in other
Muslim countries.
Joyfully
welcoming feast, they flock to mosques in the early morning to perform
`Eid prayers.
There
are some 1,500 mosques across the country.
After
the prayers, Muslims make their sacrifices, following the footsteps of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
A
financially-able Muslim sacrifices a
or shares six others in sacrificing a camel or cow as an act of worship
during `Eid Al-Adha.
The
ritual reminds Muslims of the great act of sacrifice Prophet Ibrahim and
his son Isma`eel were willing to make for the sake of God.
During
`Eid, Kazakh Muslims also exchange visits and presents with both fellow
Muslims and non-Muslims.
According
to IOL correspondent, Islam has been gaining a foothold in the country
since independence from the Communist Soviet Union on December 16, 1991.
