Eid-Ul-Adha: Faith communities in Dewsbury, Batley and Heckmondwike celebrate third annual festival in the Muslim calendar

Eid-Ul-Adha is the third Eid festival in the Muslim calendar, and usually lasts for three days when families and friends visit each other's homes for household feasts.

This Eid is celebrated by Muslims to remember Abraham's obedience when he became ready to sacrifice his own son Ishmael upon the Lord's command. The command was actually a test of Abraham's faith, and instead a ram sent from heaven was sacrificed.

There are three different Eids celebrated in Islam. The first is Eid-Milad, marking prophet Mohammad's birthday celebrations.

The second is Eid-Ul-Fitr, which takes place immediately after the 30-day holy month of fasting Ramadhan has finished.

The festival of Eid-Ul-Adha is the third and final in the Muslim religious calendar.

Mosques throughout Kirklees were busy getting ready for the festivities. Maddrassah schools had been closed last week as part of the children's Eid-Ul-Adha holidays.

A large group of local Muslim school leavers during this year's festivities had to make their own personal sacrifices. The first day of the festival on Friday morning coincided with their Year 11 GCSE English and GCSE geography exam papers.

Thousands of pupils wore their school uniforms and headed to the exam halls. The children then went home immediately after sitting their exams to prepare for evening family Eid gatherings.

Two important guests also visited the Kanzul-Iman Jamia Mosque a few days before the festivities.

Kirklees Police Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Jim Griffiths came to introduce Inspector Charlotte Nicholls, who is the senior NPT officer for Batley, Heckmondwike and Spen. Both got a special Eid surprise when they were presented with fresh flowers from Muaaz-Ul-Haque Khan.

Speaking to the Reporter Series, Head-Imam at the Kanzul-Iman Jamia Mosque, Mufti Allama-Moalana Shams-Ul-Huda Khan Misbahi said: “Just like all the other Eids, the festival of Eid-Ul-Adha is a time to spread love and harmony.

“According to Islamic teachings, a visiting guest at a Muslim house or at a Mosque is seen as a blessing from the Lord.

“I therefore felt delighted to welcome once again Chief Superintendent Jim Griffiths and Inspector Charlotte Nicholls to my Darul-Ifta office where they had an opportunity to see some important advisory and mediation work being done to help improve people's quality of life in our neighbourhoods.”

The festival of Eid-Ul-Adha takes place in the month of Zil-Hajj, which is the 12th and final in the Islamic calendar. The month is also a time when a large number of Muslims from across the globe begin their sacred Hajj pilgrimage to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

An important aspect in this sacred pilgrimage for Muslims, besides praying at the main religious sites, is to practice Abraham's ritual of sacrificing an animal such as a camel, cow, goat or a sheep. A butcher is paid to perform the ritual.

Meat from the sacrifice is then given out free to those who are poor, starving or on low incomes. Others who get the meat are people affected by famine, war or natural disasters.