The Muslim community in New Zealand celebrated Eid-ul-Adha on Saturday, September 2.
Community members started the celebrations by offering 2-rakat obligatory congressional prayer at Mosques or Eidgahs and then feasting during the day.
New Zealand Eid Day, a not for profit organisation hosted a mega Eid celebratory event at the Eden Park on the Eid day for the community members to come and enjoy the festivity.
Two big halls at the Eden Park Stadium were reserved for the prayer services, separately for men and women. According to the customary practice, Taqbeer (verses from the Holy Quran) were recited in a loud voice by the attendees present before the prayers started.
The Eid Salah, which is a special 2-rakat prayer with 12 Taqbeer was conducted by Hazim Arafeh, President of FIANZ (Federation of Islamic Association of New Zealand).
Beating the wet and windy weather, more than 7,000 men, women and children gathered at Eden Park Stadium to attend the Eid prayers, and another 5,000 people came in through the day for the small carnival arranged within the stadium premises for the visitors.
Henna, Islamic books and study material, scarves and hijabs, and Islamic artefacts were on display to engage the visitors. Children enjoyed the bouncing castles, face painting and the visitors enjoyed the lip smacking snacks and delicacies at the venue.
The purpose of such event venues is to get the communities not just Muslim but also friends and families of the Muslim community to visit and learn as well as be a part of this multicultural event.
It is important for the able and earning adults to sacrifice an animal (cow, goat or camel) on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, the meat of which is divided into three equal parts.
One part remains with the family, another part is distributed among friends and relatives, and the third part is given to the poor and the unfortunate.
Eid-ul-Adha is the second biggest festival of the Muslim community after Eid-ul-Fitr, and it is this occasion when the Haj pilgrimage is made in Mecca.