10 Eid Al-Adha Activities for the Whole Family
Every year millions of Muslims from around the globe make the trip to a holy city called Mecca in Kingdom of saudi arabia to perform the Hajj; ane of the v pillars of Islam. Hajj is performed between the eighth and 12th day of Dhul-Hijjah which is the terminal month of the Islamic lunar agenda. Subsequently, it is concluded with the second Muslim holiday known as Eid Al-Adha (festival of Sacrifice), which volition be celebrated in less than a week here in Cardinal Indiana.
What is Hajj?
Muslims make the pilgrimage to mecca for several reasons; start, it is one of the five main pillars of Islam, anyone who has the means and is able bodied must perform the hajj at least once in their lifetime. Second, it commemorates the trials of Abraham and his family in Mecca, which included Abraham'south willingness to cede his son Ishmael in response to God's command. Lastly, it's an opportunity to seek forgiveness of sins accumulated throughout life. Prophet Muhammad had said that a person who performs Hajj "will return equally a newly born baby (free of all sins)." The pilgrimage also enables Muslims from all effectually the world, of different colors, languages, races, and ethnicities, to come together to worship 1 God.
What is Eid Al-Adha?
Eid Al-Adha (Festival of Cede) is the second and holiest major vacation for Muslims worldwide and marks the end of Hajj pilgrimage. Eid Al-Adha takes place on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (lunar calendar), In the Gregorian calendar the dates shift each year compared to the lunar calendar. During this holiday, Muslims who did not perform Hajj must article of clothing prissy outfits, attend the mosque for a special prayer and brusque sermon. Afterwards, people cede an creature, unremarkably a cow, sheep, lamb, or goat. The meat is divided into three parts; one office is given to the poor, one role to immediate family at habitation, and the last part to friends or distant relatives.
Muslims likewise cull to requite money to charities or to families in need. Children receive gifts, money, and delicious treats only served on this vacation. People visit one another in their home or host festivals fun family activities. In my family, we mostly sacrifice a lamb and divide information technology into the three parts amid the poor and friends. My male parent likes to requite to charities abroad, who are less fortunate. While my husband and I like to detect a family in need within our customs. One year I did not give my boys any gifts and rather taught them to give to children less fortunate, and then nosotros hosted a toy drive at our local mosque and were able to provide many children new toys.
Celebrating during Covid 2020
Unfortunately, as the globe is slowly recovering from the pandemic, this special pilgrimage that welcomes worshipers from all over the globe has been put on hold. This year is the first in history that no one from other countries will be performing the obligatory Hajj in Mecca, Kingdom of saudi arabia. As we encounter the number of Covid cases rise again, many mosques around the Usa including our very own in Central Indiana, will not exist holding services or festivals for its worshipers to attend. If y'all are a family like mine with young children; that tin leave your kids feeling upset that the festivities will all be canceled and the usual visits with family and friends will not be the same. Even though our holiday may not be the same equally previous years, there are withal great ways to celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Central Indiana.
Ways to celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Primal Indiana
Decorate Your Home
This year is the best time to actually go all out and decorate each part of your home. It tin can be something as fun every bit a balloon garland, yard signs and lots of twinkling lights. My programme is to also decorate my son's bedroom with some festive signs, hanging lanterns, cute fauna figurines and lots of groovy new Hajj books to read.
Host a Virtual Henna Party
Before covid, ladies and girls would have henna parties. They would decorate their hands with henna, dance, accept lots of great nutrient and relish each other's company. Unfortunately, that may be harder this yr, a virtual henna political party tin still be done with friends. Likewise, make mini henna kits and sending them to friends earlier the political party is another groovy way to have everyone get together virtually.
Host A Bulldoze-by Eid Party At Your Local Mosque
Since people cannot exist within the mosque, some other peachy way to go to run across the mosque in person but be socially distant and have fun, is past having a drive-by Eid party. Pop up some tents at various locations around the mosques parking lot and have cars drive-by. Each tent tin have some treats such every bit kids goodie bags, ethnic sweets, balloons and greeting cards. You can even ask mosque goers to decorate their cars to bring out the joy in the holiday.
Host an Eid Trunk Or Care for
Ane idea that I have in mind for this Eid is to host a trunk or treat with friends. Essentially using the mosques big parking space, each automobile can park half-dozen anxiety apart and be decocted for children to go around "body or treating". Also setting up a cute photoshoot area would be an ideal consequence to take for families all while social distancing or wearing masks.
Reenact The Special Hajj Pilgrimage
1 activity that I Beloved having my boys practice is going around our home and collecting items. We use these items to make a setup of the city of Mecca and to "play" the steps of Hajj. It's a great manner to teach kids near Hajj while playing and acting out the scenes.
Host A Virtual Eid Party
Terminal summertime, my sister got married and moved to another state. Unfortunately, she cannot exist with united states in Indiana to celebrate. My boys thought of an idea to ship her a "party in a box" for her and her married man to celebrate with us virtually.
Find a Local Farm in the Area for Adhiyah
This may not exist a "new" activity for nigh Muslim families, the performance of adhiyah (sacrifice of an animal). Most families take their get-to farm but discovering a new local farm effectually Indiana will make the holiday exciting and may fifty-fifty help teach our not-Muslim friends about this holiday.
Make Cards or Desserts For a Local Nursing Home
Every bit Muslims, we love sharing some of our succulent desserts with neighbors and friends. What amend way than to requite to a local nursing home who may not be seeing visitors at this moment. Having kids brand greeting cards and sending some delicious indigenous desserts volition bring such joy to the most vulnerable group of people right now.
Host a Social Altitude Picnic or BBQ
With the warm weather, what great way to celebrate than a fun picnic meetup at the many local parks around Indy. Or another great thought is to host a socially afar BBQ at your backyard, park, or any open space. Y'all can fifty-fifty add a "kid zone" full of bubble, water balloons, kiddie pool, and much more than fun outdoor experiences.
Lodge an Eid DIY Cookie Kit
At the kickoff of the pandemic, we saw lots of local bakeries offering many "kits" at that place were cookies kits, donut kits, pizza kits and so many more. A fun way to get the kids to gloat is to order a custom EID cookie kit from an area bakery. I originally had done this for the first Eid, and it was a hitting with my boys. They admittedly loved decorating their cookies.
Source: https://indywithkids.com/eid-al-adha/