A lamb in the back of a pickup truck is a common sight here in Saudi Arabia, especially around the holidays. This past week was one of the two holidays here in the kingdom. When the annual Hajj pilgrimage concludes, there is a celebration called Eid al-Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice. Normally millions of Muslims come from all over the world to perform Hajj - but not this year, though, due to the virus. This year only Muslims within the kingdom were permitted to attend. International travel to and from the kingdom has been banned since March.
About Eid al-Adha, according to Wikipedia - "It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God's command. But, before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this intervention, an animal, usually a sheep, is sacrificed ritually. One third of its meat is consumed by the family offering the sacrifice, while the rest is distributed to the poor and needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family are typically visited and welcomed."
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3 comments:
What a wonderful ritual and tradition. It must be a joyous time.
Thanks for the information. It's great to learn about another culture. That sight would break my vegan heart, though!
What a vast world....
Interesting post.
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