Time with friends and family
Eid Al Adha is a grand festival for Muslims all over the world. As per tradition, many fast on the day of Arafat (the day before Eid). On the first day of Eid, we perform a special prayer in the morning and thereafter sacrifice a sheep or sometimes a goat. Then, after the sacrifice is distributed among our relatives or the poor and needy people, we keep a portion for ourselves.
The next couple of days are spent with a mix of resting at home and meeting with relatives, friends and neighbours. We exchange Eid greetings and organise get-togethers. This is how I spend my regular Eid holidays in the UAE.
From Mr Saifee Tarwala
Dubai
The charms of Eid Al Adha
Like every year, I will be celebrating Eid Al Adha with much enthusiasm. After offering Eid prayers, the process of sacrificing a goat or cow begins. By afternoon, we are free from distributing the meat among our neighbours, relatives and the less privileged. Mostly, on the first day of Eid Al Adha, we cook meat for lunch and on the second day, I spend time with my friends.
For me, Eid Al Adha is a moment of introspection and to consciously become aware that we will all return to God and that the sacrifice we do on Eid is in the name of God. It is neither the meat nor the money we spend on buying the sacrificial animal that reaches God, but it is our pure and honest intentions that He considers. He rewards us based on how we think and behave. My fondest memories of Eid involve having family lunches on the first or second day of Eid, and then spending hours of fun with my cousins. I wish a very happy Eid to all!
From Mr M. Omar Iftikhar
Karachi, Pakistan
Always excited for Eid
I have no special plans for Eid, except to celebrate with family at home or go on small outings. This year, I’m not travelling. Eid is a very sacred occasion for me to remember the sacrifies of our Prophets.
I cherish the memories of past Eid breaks with my family in my home country, Pakistan; they were wonderful moments. Once we all got together, we celebrated Eid by cooking, playing games and conversing. Celebrating Eid outside my homeland, far from my parents, is difficult.
From Mr Mohammad Sarmad
UAE
Bonding with family
Eid, for me, is all about spending time with family and friends. Especially this Eid, because I am spending time with my mother. Although she is bit unwell, I hope she will recover soon. I would like to get her to travel with me to different places. I was actually planning to go to Europe, but I think spending my time with my mother is worth much more. Every year, during Eid, we get together, cook food, go out and meet relatives and friends. We also exchange gifts. Eid brings happiness and peace to our lives. It recharges family bonds and strengthens relations. The best thing one can do is to pray for peace and happiness for all.
From Mr Salim Mohammad
Dubai
Time to rest
For those who are normally working six days a week and often end up working overtime, these days are three welcome days of rest. Sometimes, we only think of our expenses when we plan to go out, but then, we realise we have used up our monthly spending budget after the Eid break is over. This is the reality of life for people who are trying to manage with a high cost of living, high rents, transportation costs and low salaries. I imagine that most labourers will just stay at home and take rest until the next holiday.
From Ms Corazon Tarcena
Dubai
Our trust in God
Eid Al Adha is a day of remembrance that commemorates Prophet Ebrahim’s [PBUH] willingness to obey God and sacrifice his son. When God saw Ebrahim’s compliance, he provided a sacrificial sheep and spared his son. Eid Al Adha is known as the festival of sacrifice and many Muslims sacrifice their best animal to eat on this day.
All our thanks to God, this Eid reminds us what sacrifice means, as we place our trust in God!
Happiness can be seen everywhere on Eid, as people meet and greet their relatives and friends, visit each other’s homes and wish them Eid greetings with hugs and sweets. We crave for these moments and we cherish the day with happiness and love.
From Mr Jameel Ahmad
UAE
Fond memories of Eid
Everybody has been looking forward to Eid, particularly Eid Al Adha. For Muslims, these are days of celebration, starting with early morning prayers and getting together for fun-filled days, with loved ones and family. For an expatriate like me, this is a break from work, since we have three days off.
In the past, I have used this time to tour other countries. I was blessed to find package tours to Turkey, Prague, Czech Republic and the US. But this year is not so fortunate for me, as I have cancelled a number of bookings, including Georgia and Singapore, for reasons beyond my control.
So, I am staying in Dubai this Eid, and I have been organising my home, going shopping and soon, I will go for an exciting lunch buffet at Palm Jumeirah. The last day is for pampering myself in a beauty salon, and preparing for the next day when I return to work! I really appreciate this time and I am thankful.
From Ms Ma Teresa Edpan
Dubai
Heart and mind in UAE
Even though I left the UAE in 2009, I still remember the fond memories of Eid Al Adha. On this day, I used to greet my colleagues and some friends, and in turn, they would greet me. I still remember everything even though I am far away, because my heart is still in the UAE.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
A festival of sacrifice
Indeed, Eid Al Adha is a festival reflecting the enduring sacrifice, compassion and tolerance demonstrated by Prophet Ebrahim [PBUH] in his line of duty to God. It is one of the two occasions when Muslims celebrate the relaying of the teachings of the Prophets. The big event on Eid Al Adha is sacrifice. Visiting relatives, especially the elderly, adds value to the occasion, which is why Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] advised people to choose different routes while going and returning from Eid prayers, enabling us to see more people and greet each other.
Fond memories from my childhood include new garments, gifts and money from elders. Visiting cousins and sharing sweets were the best parts of those days.
From Mr Salim Panthodi
Abu Dhabi
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