Eid celebrations begin for city’s Muslim community

Birmingham’s Muslim population will come together this weekend to celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid; as the faithful from across the world complete the religious pilgrimage, known as Hajj, in Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Beginning on the evening of of Saturday 5th November, the three-day festival known as Eid al-Adha, or ‘celebration of sacrifice’, is to commemorate the willingness of the apostle Abraham in sacrificing his own son to confirm his commitment to God.  An act which God is said to have rewarded by replacing Abraham’s son with a ram.

Muslims continue this tradition during Eid by sacrificing domestic animals (such as a cow, camel, goat, sheep or ram) as a reminder of the selfless act. The meat from the sacrificed animal is then divided into three parts. with the family retaining one third of the share; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbours; and the other third is given to the poor and needy.

The regular charitable practices amongst the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by concerted efforts to see that no impoverished person is left without an opportunity to partake in the sacrificial meal during these days.

In Birmingham, celebrations will adopt a similar theme as families prepare meat and food for friends, relatives and the poor. With the first morning of Eid celebrations taking place on Sunday; many will begin their day with religious services at the mosque or in open-air public parks before participating in festivities throughout the week.

Special services will also be lead by the city’s main Islamic houses of worship Birmingham Central Mosque and Green Lane Masjid, beginning at 7.45am and 8.00am respectively.

There will, however, also be sorrow for the city’s Muslims this Eid, as they remember the loss of local couple Dawood Burbank and his wife Khalida Begum, who passed away following an accident in which their minibus caught fire during their pilgrimage of Mecca.

Burbank, a writer and book translator, and Begum were visiting the ‘City of Abraham’ with other pilgrims from Birmingham when the incident took place. The couple, who were members of a mosque in Small Heath, are survived by seven children.

.