RIYADH/JEDDAH, 21 January 2005 — Despite the chilly weather and drizzling in parts of the capital, the citizens and residents of Riyadh offered Eid Al-Adha prayers commemorating the spirit of sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).

Riyadh Governor Prince Salman attended the Eid prayers at the main Dira Mosque and later exchanged greetings and good wishes with the members of the royal family, senior government officials and citizens. Eid prayers were also conducted at 56 other designated mosques in addition to Eid grounds in the capital.

The theme of the sermons underlined the significance of Eid Al-Adha and the spirit of sacrifice for the cause of Allah. Addressing the congregation in the mosque in the Malaz area, the imam called on the faithful to renew their contacts with their near and dear in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood.

Junaid Ahmad Bakri, a graduate working with Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper said: “This harmony is the means of strength for the Muslim Ummah; in fact, it’s a divine gift that Muslims must make use of”.

“The great lesson given by Eid is also required as regards relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims, in the sense that we are all brothers, if not in faith, in humanity. Just as a Muslim shares the agony of his fellow Muslims, he should also feel pain for what befalls his non-Muslim brothers,” Junaid added.

According to Mohammad ibn Ibrahim Al-Hamad, a professor at the Imam University in Riyadh, Eid in its religious meaning is solely to thank Almighty Allah for successfully concluding a religious duty.

“Eid in its humanitarian meaning is the day when the power of wealth and the weakness of poverty meet together in an atmosphere of mercy, love and justice,” the professor added in his Arabic lecture.

As the day dawned on Jeddah, tens of thousands of people congregated in the old airport area to offer prayers. Elsewhere, worshippers thronged various mosques. “

“I couldn’t travel to Makkah this time so I’m here to offer prayers,” said Abdul Karim Khondkar, a young Bangladeshi who works in a security firm. “I’ve prayed for the thousands of people who were devoured by the tsunami tidal waves,” he told Arab News at a mosque on Madinah Road, near the downtown Balad area.

“I took part in the open congregation and specially prayed for peace at a time when the world is facing challenges from terrorists,” said Shahjahan Abid, a Pakistani who works with a stevedoring firm in the Jeddah Islamic Port. “I’m proud that 150,000 of my countrymen are performing Haj,” he said.

“I prayed to God to avert disasters like tsunami,” said Abdul Bashir Amin, a Somali construction worker. “This is the most auspicious occasion and I’m sure all our prayers will be answered.”

From early morning, residents headed to the sheep market located across the Makkah Ring Road. “I’m here for more than a couple of hours and yet far from the market,” said Khaled Quraish, a middle-aged Saudi businessman who was caught in a traffic jam on Palestine Street.

“I selected the best quality sheep, but the same is costing me SR150 more than last year,” said Abdullah Sulaiman, another Saudi who came from Heraa street to make the purchase. “I want to get back home soon to offer prayers and take part in the family feast. I’ll be praying for the unity of Muslims all over the world and liberation of all the occupied Muslim lands,” he said.

As the day wore on, people were out on the streets to exchange Eid greetings and visit friends and relatives. Contacts, however, were difficult for a large number of telephone subscribers.

“I have been trying to contact home since this morning. Except for once, when my land line was in the fax mode, I have not been able to contact my family in (the south Indian city of) Hyderabad,” said K.N. Wasif, a news photographer working for an Arabic monthly. Even SMS messages destined for south Asian countries were barred.

The difficulty in placing international calls, according to Shaikh Abdul Haq, a computer engineer, is due to the heavy traffic load on the STC lines. The situation was compounded by the decision of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to relay guidelines to the pilgrims via SMS. The launch of a locally manufactured mobile phone in the Kingdom has meant that the penetration level of cell phones has experienced an exponential growth rate. These factors have exerted an enormous pressure on the telephone traffic.

Later in the day, Eid festivities kept people busy, but even on the Eid, the buyer needs to beware. Rizwan Baig, a computer engineer from Pakistan, said the Ministry of Commerce should deploy more inspectors to conduct surprise visits to the Batha area, where counterfeit products circulate freely during Eid festivities.