One of the major religious festivals in
the Islamic calendar is the Kurban Bayram (the Feast of the Sacrifice). It
follows that period of the year during which many practising Muslims will have
made their haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca in confirmation of their faith.
The origins of this festival lie in the
Old Testament of the Bible where Abraham was subjected to a test and told by
God to sacrifice Isaac his only son. As proof of his religious commitment,
Abraham was prepared to slaughter his son but at the last moment an angel of
the Lord called from heaven and a ram was sacrificed instead (Genesis chapter
22, verse 11).
This year the Kurban Bayram occurs in
November and commences in the afternoon of November 5th with the
Arife prayers (the preparation) and continues for four days until the evening
of November 9th. During this period Muslim families who can afford
to will buy a good quality sheep or goat and sacrifice it in commemoration of
Ibrahim who was spared by Allah from sacrificing his son Ishmail. The meat from
the sacrificed animal will be shared equally among family, friends and the
local poor. Those who do not have access to a sacrificial animal, or the means
to buy one may alternatively give charitable alms instead. These are traditions
that have been maintained throughout the Muslim world with slight variations
from country to country.
