On Friday, Muslims celebrate Uraza Bayram (Eid al-Fitr), one of the two major holidays in Islam, which will last for three days. The collective prayers will take place early in the morning on April 21 in Russian mosques.
"The Eid al-Fitr holiday is celebrated to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Uraza Bayram is its Tatar name (in Arabic Eid al-Fitr). The tradition of celebrating Eid al-Fitr dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, from the VII century.
On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, First Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation (DUM RF) Damir Mukhetdinov sent a holiday message to the believers, where he noted that "the blessed Eid al-Fitr marks the joy, which fulfils the soul that follows the path of purification."
According to Mukhetdinov, whatever trials may arise along the way, a person can cope with them "only by relying on the inexhaustible values that have been approved for him by the Almighty."
"We come home to a family whose limits embrace our fellow believers and all men of good will. It is not cruelty, nor self-interest, nor depressing self-love that rules the home, but the law of justice and mercy, united by an unbreakable bond. In fidelity to this law, one finds their true selves, those who do not surrender to the slightest whim or to the influence of external forces. One becomes free because they overcome arbitrariness with their steadfastness," reads the message.
Celebration in the capital
According to the information of the DUM RF, the festive prayers in Moscow's Cathedral, Historical and Memorial mosques will begin at 7:00 am. Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, chairman of the DUM RF, will deliver a sermon at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. The live broadcast will be conducted on the website of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, dumrf.ru, while the recording of the sermon will be shown on the "Rossiya 1" TV channel at 9:00.
The Religious Board also reported that a temporary site for the holiday prayers in the Pechatniki district, South-Eastern Administrative district, will be functioning, granted by the Moscow government. It will be located on the territory of the "Moskva" technical sports center at 4386 Proyektelny proezd. The platform is designed for 5 thousand people praying, the prayer will start here at 7:30.
"During the hours of festive worship, streets adjacent to the mosques will be closed to traffic. In addition, the subway stations nearest to the mosques may be closed to avoid excessive crowds of people," the muftiyat warned believers on the eve of the holiday. Volunteers of the DUM RF will work at all the sites.
In its turn, the Religious Board of Muslims "Moscow Muftiyat" (a part of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia) will to hold a traditional holiday namaz on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr in Sokolniki Park. At 6:30 Head of the Spiritual Assembly Mufti Albir Krganov will address the faithful, after which the festive namaz will begin.
According to the Moscow department of national policy and inter-regional relations, 48 venues have been allocated in the Moscow region for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. Broadcasts of festive services will also be arranged on TV channels, official information resources of religious organizations and social networks for the convenience of believers. Thus, the prayer from Orekhovo-Zuevskaya Cathedral Mosque will be broadcast from 6:30 on channel "360°".
According to Deputy Head of the DUM RF Mufti Rushan Abbyasov, up to half a million believers are expected to take part in the celebration of Uraza Bayram in the Moscow region on April 21, with over 300 thousand people expected in mosques and at additional sites in the capital. "A large number of believers is planned because, first of all, our local population, Muslims, will also be there, and, of course, we must also take into account the fact that the construction season begins, and some of our fellow believers brothers will come from Central Asia. I think, about 150 thousand people will be near the mosque, and in total in Moscow and the region - somewhere between 400 and 500 thousand," Abbyasov told TASS.
Traditions of Eid al-Fitr
Uraza Bayram is the second most important holiday after the feast of sacrifice (Eid al-Adha). Uraza Bayram is the second most important holiday after the Festival of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha). The exact date is determined by the phase of the moon. The holiday is celebrated on the first day of the month of Shawwal.
On Uraza Bayram it is customary for believers to attend mass holiday prayers, visit cemeteries and commemorate the dead, as well as to visit relatives, give gifts, and treat neighbors with sweets.
On this day Muslims, in particular, distribute the obligatory alms, zakat al-fitr, to help the needy and atone for mistakes and misdeeds during Ramadan. Zakat al-fitr is paid in money or given in food.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Khusen Rustamov\Pixabay
Based on materials from TASS