Nigerian Muslims have joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate the 2023 Eid-El-Adha also known as Eid-El Kabir.
The annual festival of Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca by hundreds of millions of Muslims.
It is usually celebrated with prayers offered on the Eid ground, followed by the slaughter of goats, sheep and cattle in commemoration of the Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to Allah.
In Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari arrived his country home, the Daura area of the north-western state for the Eid-el- Kabir on Friday evening.
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He had earlier arrived at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina, from where he was flown to the ancient town in a helicopter.
Hundreds of residents from within and outside the town attended the two Rak’at prayers, including the President and his son, Yusuf and the Emir of Daura, HRH Umar Faruk Umar as well as other top-ranking personalities.
The two Rak’at prayers led by Imam Safiyanu Yusuf Dansanwai at Kofar Arewa Eid Prayer Ground commenced at about 10:00 am and rounded up at about 10:05 am.
Also in attendance were traditional and religious leaders including the ward, village and district heads as well as members of the business and political communities in Daura.
President Buhari eventually slaughtered his ram meant for sacrifice.
In Muslim parlance, the festival is the most important feast in the Muslim calendar because it is an occasion to celebrate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Isma’il, in submission to Allah’s command.
In commemoration of this intervention, an animal, usually, a ram, is sacrificed ritually and divided into three parts.
One share is given to the poor and needy, another is kept for home and the third portion is given to relatives.
As usual, after performing the two Rak’at Eid-El Kabir prayers and the ritual sacrifice, people come out mostly in northern states to watch the historic Durbar otherwise called Hawan Sallah, the durbar of which has been cancelled by both Katsina and Daura Emirates.
Earlier before the commencement of the prayer, security was beefed up at the Kofar Arewa Eid prayer ground in Daura.
Security personnel from the Police, the Army, the DSS, the NSCDC and other sister security agencies stormed the Eid Prayer Ground to give maximum security for the President, his entourage and other worshippers attending the Eid Prayer.
Channels Television observed that the entire parameter fencing of the Eid Prayer Ground was completely surrounded by a team of security personnel deployed by their various agencies with movements of vehicles including bicycles restricted in the area.
