Muslim Clerics Ask Government to Recognise Idd-ul-Adha as a Public Holiday

Muslim clerics in Mombasa asked lawmakers to enshrine the coming Idd-ul-Adha celebrations in the Constitution as a permanent holiday.

Speaking on Saturday, the Council of Imams and Preachers organising secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa noted that the move would create religious harmony.

Sheikh Khalifa stated: “We hope the government will heed to our call and make this holiday a consistent one. It will go a long way in uniting Kenyans on religious grounds.”

Eid-ul-Adha, also known as ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year, and considered the holier one. It honours the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his own son in obedience to God’s instructions. God, however, provided a male goat for him to sacrifice.

[caption caption="Council of Imams and Preachers organising secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa "][/caption]

Sheikh Khalifa explained that to show love and care for neighbors and other people, able Muslims are required to sacrifice an animal and divide it into three parts.

Muslim preachers also welcomed the government's decision to make Tuesday a public holiday to pave way for Idd-ul-Adha celebrations.

Notably, Muslims have only one public holiday - Eid-ul-Fitr - while Christians have two - Easter and Christmas.

“A third of the slaughtered animal is given to the poor and the needy, a third to friends and neighbours and the other third eaten by the family,” the Sheikh stated.

The cleric also spoke of the detention of Nation Media Group journalists Karim Rajan and Laban Walloga on Thursday stating: “We want to see those responsible in court so that Kenyans can truly appreciate that there is no place for impunity anymore in the country.”

[caption caption="Council of Imams and Preachers organising secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa"][/caption]

The two journalists were harassed by security guards and arrested while seeking information on why a private developer, claimed to be a senior government official, has encroached on a public beach by constructing Dolphin Hotel.

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