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Thousands of Muslims carrying prayer mats came together in east Charlotte on Friday to celebrate Eid al-Adha – one of two major holidays in the Muslim faith.
Organizers estimated that more than 3,000 members of the local Muslim community, representing some 30 countries, filed into The Park (formerly the Charlotte Merchandise Mart) to pray during the holiday known as “the Celebration of Sacrifice.”
“If you look around you're going to see people from all different ethnicities, all different nations,” said Nasif Majeed, a former Charlotte City Council member. “Africa, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Russia, Spain – we're all here. We're all one.”
Jibril Hough, spokesman for the Islamic Center of Charlotte, estimates up to 15,000 Muslims live in Charlotte. Most worship in about nine mosques dotted around the city.
On Friday, women wore headscarves and many of the men wore traditional dress popular in their native countries, including Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia and Indonesia.
They formed orderly lines – women in one section, men in another – and removed their shoes. They knelt on mats and bowed in unison during prayers along with the Arabic-speaking leader.
One of two major holidays in the Muslim faith, Eid al-Adha commemorates what followers say was the willingness of the Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son as a sign of obedience to God. At the last minute, God intervened, and a lamb was slaughtered instead.
Muslims are called on during Eid al-Adha to sacrifice a sheep or goat following a pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj. To symbolize a willingness to give up things, most of the meat is given away to friends and the poor.
In the United States, they usually get a slaughterhouse to kill the animal or send money overseas where a goat can be slaughtered and used to feed the poor.
Iman Khalil Akbar, who leads the Masjid Ash-Shadeed, a North Charlotte mosque, led Friday's prayers. He called on attendees to think of Abraham's sacrifices and apply it to their own lives.
“For Muslims, it's like Christmas,” said Sardar Imtiaz Ahmed, 60, who is from India. “It's on that level. This is a very special day.”
