WASHINGTON, Earlier, around two million white-robed Muslims converged at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabi as the Haj, the world's largest annual pilgrimage, peaked at the site of the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) last sermon."Michelle and I extend our greetings for a happy Eid Al-Adha to Muslims worldwide and wish safe travels to those performing Haj," Obama said in a statement."This year, nearly three million pilgrims from more than 160 countries — including the United States — have gathered in Mecca and neighboring sites to perform the Haj rituals and stand together in prayer."
Eid Al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, follows the annual pilgrimage to Makkah. It commemorates the willingness of biblical patriarch Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael and during the period Muslims distribute food to the poor.
Obama said last week during a visit to Indonesia that his administration was on the right path to improving relations with the Islamic world but there was still a lot more work to do.
In his message Monday, the US leader said the religious holiday serves as "a reminder of the shared values and the common roots of three of the world's major religions."
"On behalf of the American people, we extend our best wishes during this Haj season — Eid Mubarak and Hajj Mabrour," he added, using the traditional holiday greetings in Arabic.
