(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 05/12/2024) – On Sunday, June 16, 2024, Oklahoma Muslims plan to mark the beginning of the holiday marking the end of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, called Hajj, with a United Eid Prayer and Festival in Oklahoma City. The prayers and the holiday that follows Hajj are called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or “festival of the sacrifice.”
SEE: United Eid OKC Official Website https://unitedeidokc.org/
Eid ul-Adha, commonly referred to as just “Eid,” commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. The holiday is celebrated with prayers, small gifts for children, meat distribution to the needy, and social gatherings. During this holiday, Muslims exchange the greeting “Eid Mubarak” or “blessed Eid.” Pre-pandemic years would see some two million Muslims, including thousands of American Muslims, go on Hajj.
[NOTE: For actual pilgrims, the rites of Hajj continue for some time after the Eid prayers. Eid al-Fitr, which comes at the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, is the other of the two “Eid” holidays Muslims celebrate each year.]
HAJJ BACKGROUNDER:
In the Quran, Islam’s revealed text, God says:
“Thus We settled Abraham at the site of the House (the Ka’aba) (saying): ‘Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My house for those who walk around it, and those who stand there (praying), and those who bow down on their knees in worship. Proclaim the pilgrimage among mankind: they will come to you on foot and on every lean (beast of burden); Let them come from every deep ravine, to bear witness to the advantages they have, and to mention God’s name on appointed days.” Chapter 22, Verses 26-28
Hajj is one of the “five pillars” of the Islamic faith. (The other pillars include a declaration of faith, daily prayers, offering regular charity, and fasting during Ramadan.) Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those with the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey.
When the main portion of the pilgrimage is completed, Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day of Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), the second of the two major Muslim holidays.
The obligatory and optional activities of Hajj include:
- Entrance into a state of self-control called “ihram,” during which pilgrims are forbidden to harm living creatures, even insects or plants, or raise their voices in anger. The state of ihram is signified (for men) by wearing two pieces of unsewn white cloth. This clothing signifies the equality of all before God. No specific clothing is prescribed for female pilgrims.
- Circling (“Tawaf”) of the “Ka’aba,” the stone building Muslims believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Ka’aba is viewed as the first sanctuary on earth dedicated to the worship of the One God. It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are performed, are oriented in the direction of the Ka’aba.
- The “Sa’i,” or “hastening” between two small hills near the Ka’aba, to commemorate Hagar’s search for water to offer her son Ishmael.
- The “Day of Arafah.” Arafah is a mountain surrounded by an empty plain near Mecca. On this day, the climax of the Hajj season, pilgrims assemble for supplication to God.
- The stoning of three pillars represents Satan’s temptation of Abraham and indicates the pilgrim’s rejection of evil deeds.
- Cutting the hair to symbolize the completion of Hajj.
- The sacrifice of an animal to help feed the poor, and in remembrance of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God’s command. A portion of the meat is distributed to relatives and the needy.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
END
CONTACT: Adam Soltani, CAIR-OK Executive Director, asoltani@cair.com, 405-248-5853.