Eid Al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail to show obedience to the Almighty, was celebrated across the Saudi capital with religious zest and fervor.

Men, women and children congregated for dawn prayers at mosques and special prayer grounds in their respective areas to mark the beginning of the auspicious occasion.

Around 400 mosques and special grounds were prepared across the city to hold prayers with separate arrangements made for ladies.

Many formally attired in elegant gowns and colorful new dresses assembled in the mosques for Eid Al-Adha prayers at 6 a.m. 10 minutes after sunrise in Riyadh.

After fajr prayer, people exchanged greetings by congratulating each other on the pious occasion, wishing each other a blessed Eid Al-Adha.

Women and children were also seen greeting each other on the auspicious occasion.

After prayers, families returned to their homes to prepare for the sacrificial slaughtering ritual. Some people performed the ritual in their homes, while others headed toward the area arranged by the municipality of Riyadh, in which commissioned butchers performed the slaughtering.

Abdullah bin Muhammad, a native residing in Roudah District in the capital, said, “After slaughtering the cattle, we will distribute the meat among family members, neighbors and the poor and needy. With our share of meat, we will picnic with our family members at a nearby destination.”

Meanwhile, another expatriate living in Riyadh, who declined to share his name, pointed out that many residents book rest houses, known in Arabic as “istirahat” to spend the Eid holidays.

He explained that the prices of these rent houses vary depending on how far in advance they were booked and their location; usually those at the outskirts of the city are less expensive.

“We paid SR 5,500 to spend three-days in the rest house, in addition to the cost of buying the cattle for sacrificing,” he added.

Families in Riyadh throng to istirahats to enjoy the holiday and spend quality time with family members and friends.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Younus, a Jordanian national said he plans to visit his friend to celebrate the holiday.

“We are planning to visit a tourist destination to enjoy the festivity,” he said.

Some residents opt to travel within the Kingdom to destinations like Abha and Najran, while others choose to go abroad for the vacation.