Eid ul Adha being observed in Saudi Arabia, UAE, other countries

Muslims in various parts of the world are celebrating Eid ul Adha today (Sunday) by sacrificing animals to mark the festival of sacrifice.

Eid ul Adha is celebrated in the 12th Islamic month, Zil Hajj, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which Muslims perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Today, Muslims across the Middle East, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia are marking the first day of the three-day celebration of Eid ul Adha.

Middle Eastern countries celebrating include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq.

According to the Saudi Gazette, Muslims in Saudi Arabia attended Eid prayers on Sunday in over 12,000 mosques, including the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.

Over 1.5 million pilgrims from around 180 countries attended dawn prayers on Sunday, following an overnight stay at the holy site of Muzdalifah after descending from Arafat on Saturday at sunset as part of the Hajj rituals. They will now throw pebbles at Jamarat Al Aqabah, perform the sacrifice ritual, shave their heads, and then proceed to Makkah to perform Tawaf Al Ifada and Sai', two other pillars of Hajj, as reported by the Saudi Gazette.

In the UAE, Muslims began their Eid ul Adha celebrations with prayers and greetings on Sunday morning, according to Khaleej Times. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed sent congratulatory messages to the kings, emirs, and presidents of Arab and Islamic nations on Saturday, wishing them and their people continued progress, prosperity, and stability.

Residents in the UAE are enjoying a four-day weekend, which began on Saturday and will last until Tuesday. Additionally, residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai are set to enjoy stunning fireworks displays at various locations at 9 pm on Sunday.