Monday saw mosques and other religious centers in the country thronged by the faithful to mark the holy day of Eid Al-Adha, the most important festival in the Islamic calendar. From the historic Jama Masjid of Delhi to the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer, the spirit of nephew and brotherhood reverberated.

Hundreds of worshippers gathered in Delhi’s historic Jama Masjid for the morning prayers. Among them, Maksud Ahmed shared his own reflections on the deeper meaning of the festival. “This reminds us of a sacrifice, not just about sacrificing an animal. It means, essentially, sacrificing our vices for our own sake. On this day, one should sacrifice all the bad qualities within oneself and bring forth one’s goodness,” said Ahmed. He further explained that the celebration was held to show that readiness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son is definitely a reminder for everyone to resign all vices within and elevate virtues.

The Eid was special for Abdul Rehman as it was for the first time that he joined the prayers at the historic Jama Masjid. “We felt very good. We never saw such a large crowd. Seeing all these people together offering the Eid prayer to Allah made us feel very happy,” Rehman said.

Children were also part of the festive celebrations—a sign of frolic, merriment, and glee for each soul. Young girl Alishba narrated her experience in Jama Masjid: “We came here with great enthusiasm to perform the prayer. Along with our uncle and father, we performed the prayer, and now we will go home and perform the sacrifice.”

Similar scenes of reverence and jubilation were witnessed at some other major mosques of the capital, including the Fatehpuri Masjid, where huge congregations of Namaz observers could be found.

 Nationwide Celebrations—People Spit Out Their Joy, Demonstrate Spiritual Devotion 

The colorful festivity does not end here in Delhi. In Srinagar, the devotees converged into a Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Sonwar. One of the devotees there shared his feelings, saying, “Today is a very joyful occasion, and on this occasion, we also perform the sacrifice of an animal, which we divide into three parts: one part we keep for ourselves, one part for relatives, and one part for the poor.” He added, “I have prayed that everyone be happy. We have prayed for the happiness of the entire India, our country, and the whole world. There should be peace everywhere, and if there is any type of enmity in somebody’s heart, it should be removed from this Eid.”

In Uttar Pradesh, the gatherings of the faithful were reported at Mubarak Khan Shaheed Mazaar in Gorakhpur and at Jama Masjid in Noida, while large throngs of worshippers visited the Makhdoom Ali Mahimi mosque in Mahim in Mumbai. Sincere festivities also reached Bhopal, Coimbatore, and various parts of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The largest gathering within the state of Kerala was found at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in Trivandrum.

A Day of Joy, Reflection, and Unity

Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and marks the yearly culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. It is the celebration of peace, rejoicing with family, putting aside all past misconceptions, and getting along with others in society. It basically commemorates the episode when the prophet Abraham was willing to sacrifice everything he had for the sake of God, enveloping aspects related to devotion, sacrifice, and giving.

The spirit of Eid Al-Adha further descended upon millions all over this land as the closing prayers ended and the sacrifice began, inspiring all to radiate the feeling of charity, oneness, and peace.