Some Kenyan Muslims have defied Chief Kadhi Ahmed Muhdhar’s advice to mark the Idd-ul-Adha on Wednesday.
The faithful flocked various mosques and open grounds for prayers, marking the their Idd celebrations.
MOMBASA
Idd is an Arabic word that means feast or festival, and Adha means sacrifice.
The holy feast is not to be confused with Idd-ul-Fitr, which is marked at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan.
In defiance of Sheikh Muhdhar’s advice, hundreds thronged Tononoka grounds in Mombasa to mark the festival.
Others congregated on open grounds and in mosques.
This is despite Sheikh Muhdhar’s last week announcement that the celebrations should be marked on Wednesday.
His announcement elicited bitter exchanged among the faithful online.
This is after Interior Cabinet Sefrety Fred Matiang’i declared today (Tuesday) as a holiday to give Muslims ample time to mark the holy feast.
DATE ROW
However, Sheikh Muhdhar faulted the move, saying he had written to Dr Matiang’i in advance to inform him that Kenyan Muslims would observe the holiday on Wednesday, August 22.
Idd Ul Adha, also known as Idd Ul Hajjm is celebrated to mark end of pilgrimage that evolves around activities of Abraham and his son.
According to Islamic teaching, Idd Ul Adha (the feast of slaughtering) takes place on the 10th day of the third month after Ramadhan.
Although basically the calendar depends on sighting of the crescent moon, in this case the question is: Sighting the moon in Saudi Arabia or locally?
Although Sheikh Muhdhar announcement to have the celebrations marked on Wednesday relied on the local sighting, those who defied him followed the announcement by Saudia Arabia to go hand in hand with celebrations by the pilgrims.
