On July 20, Muslims in the San Francisco Bay Area will celebrate the holiday that follows Hajj called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or “festival of the sacrifice.”
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 normally celebrated with the prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy, and social gatherings. During this holiday, Muslims exchange the greeting “Eid Mubarak” or “blessed Eid.”
In past years, some two million Muslims, including thousands of American Muslims, go on Hajj. Since COVID-19 continues to be a major threat in the world today, Hajj was restricted to a limited number of individuals who live in Saudi Arabia. These limitations were aimed to preserve public health around the globe.
Locally around the San Francisco Bay Area, a number of mosques will host celebrations including carnivals and prayers for attendees, following local regulations.
Zoha Raza, Communications Coordinator at CAIR-SFBA said in a statement:
“COVID-19 and its variants remain a serious public health hazard and we urge the community to remain vigilant to ensure safety in congregations on this blessed day of Eid ul-Adha.”