IT is unfortunate that a majority of the people here don't celebrate the Eid Al-Adha - the Feast of Sacrifice - properly or as it should be. No doubt that most government agencies and the media are busy with the Haj. Therefore, little attention is given to the Eid Al-Adha. However, this is not reason enough for such negligence. It is wrong too that many of us give special attention to the Eid Al-Fitr that follows the holy month of Ramadan. But from a religious standpoint the Feast of Sacrifice is more important than the Eid Al-Fitr.
Sadly, a large number of people, both male and female, don't attend the special prayer on Eid Al-Adha day. They do however participate in the prayer of the Eid Al-Fitr. In other words, the Eid Al-Fitr attracts more attention quantitatively and qualitatively. For instance, parents purchase new clothing for their children, toys and sweets on Eid Al-Fitr. Families also visit each other and friends gather. This is not so during the Eid Al-Adha.
More ironic is the tendency of some ignorant Muslims who celebrate Western occasions or events. To be specific, the Christmas, the New Year, Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. Celebrating such occasions by non-Muslim Arabs is understandable. What isn't understandable is Muslims in the Gulf states doing this. I have to ask this ignorant group one question. Does what you do fall under the category of tolerance and coexistence? If so, do Western governments or people show the same degree of respect to non-Western festivals and celebrate them?
Despite the efforts of concerned government departments and the Commission for Promoting Virtue and Prohibiting of Vice to control the celebration of Western events, there remain, among us, those who consider such occasions to promote their business. For instance, on Feb. 14, which corresponds to the Valentine's Day, a restaurant placed an ad in a local newspaper. The ad showed two big glasses filled with a red liquid similar to those used in bars, a red rose and a guitar. In addition, the programs of Arab TV channels directly or indirectly owned by Saudis contained promotional topics for Valentine's Day. Worse still, in the program presented by the MBC TV star Razan Al-Maghrabi, Razan invited viewers to date her!
She repeatedly said, "We, on this day - Valentine's Day -are going to spend beautiful moments together"! Moreover, I have seen an MBC TV program that flashed congratulations at intervals - love poems and Happy Valentine's Day to all.
To conclude, this cultural invasion by the West has to be resisted. We need to tell our youths what is right and what is wrong. Furthermore, those who use occasions that militate against our faith in order to make money have to be controlled and punished.
My best wishes to all Muslims on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha. I wish all happiness and prosperity.
