TIRANA – Albania celebrated on Friday Eid al-Adha against the background of the deadly coronavirus pandemic which made local Muslim authorities hold the ritual prayers under conditions of restrictive measures wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
“This year will be remembered for a long time by the believers because of the pandemic which prevented the normal performance of Hajj and gatherings with others to celebrate,” said the head of the Albanian Muslim Community, Bujar Spahiu on Friday’s morning prayer in Tirana.
Islam’s most important annual pilgrimage got underway with just a small fraction of its regular number of worshippers, amid concerns over the coronavirus, news agencies reported on Friday. Only around 1,000 pilgrims attended the Hajj this year due to new crowd control restrictions put in place by Saudi Arabia. The holy sites in the cities of Mecca and Medina normally host more than 2 million people during the pilgrimage.
“However, the celebration of the feast gives a special emotion, a new spirit and zeal in the religious works and of this world to Muslims,” Spahiu said, adding that he looks forward to the creation of a solid future.
The head of the Muslim community took this opportunity to extend gratitude to all the medical staff which is in the forefront of the combat against COVID-19.
The celebration of Eid al-Adha began on Thursday 30 July 2020 in Tirana and other areas of Albania with hundreds upon thousands of Muslims marking the annual Festival of Sacrifice. The religious festival of Islam is second of two Eid observances, with the first, Eid al-Fitr, being observed in May to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Albanian government and political officials performed the usual ritual congratulating Muslims on this occasion. /argumentum.al
