STA, 20 July 2021 - The Muslim community celebrates Eid al-Adha from 20 to 23 July. The main ceremony of this major Muslim holiday took place on Tuesday morning at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, with Mufti Nevzet Porić leading the prayer.
Also called Eid Qurban or Bakra-Eid, Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice) is considered the holier of the two major Muslim holidays and also marks the end of the annual Hajj to the holy city of Mecca.
"The Hajj is a symbol of unity and deep belief, but also of diversity among people. It teaches that everything is passable on Earth and that ethical and moral values are key for harmonious mutual relations," the Islamic Community in Slovenia has said.
Mufti Nevzet Porić addressed the faithful at Tuesday's ceremony at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana stressing the importance of vaccination and personal responsibility.
"In the past year, we had an emergency situation, where religious freedom was restricted as well, but we respected all the decrees of the competent institutions for the sake of health and saving lives," Porić said.
He endorsed calls by health experts for vaccination against Covid-19, expressing hope that closures of religious facilities will not happen again, as any restrictions on public life make the community's work more difficult.
The Mufti also explained that no one from Slovenia took part in the Hajj this year, as the number of pilgrims was limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Additional prayers were organised on Tuesday in Kranj, Tržič, Jesenice, Škofja Loka, Postojna, Ajdovščina, Koper, Kočevje, Trbovlje, Celje, Velenje, Maribor, Sežana, Izola, Nova Gorica, Krško and Novo Mesto. Worshippers were obliged to wear masks and observe physical distancing rules.
