Merced Muslims observe Eid al-Adha in spirit of sacrifice, obedience

Members of Merced’s Muslim community observed Eid al-Adha, a holy day honoring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God, in a mood of dutiful reflection Thursday following the deaths of more than 700 pilgrims marking the holiday in Saudi Arabia.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated at the end of the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Pilgrims who travel to Mecca participate in many rituals during the hajj, such as circling the sacred site of Kaaba, the stoning of the devil and many rounds of prayer. Completing the hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam.

About 2 million people traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s hajj. More than 700 people were crushed or trampled to death when two giant waves of pilgrims collided at an intersection near a holy site in the valley of Mina, The Associated Press reported.

“God have mercy on them,” said Abdur R. Wali, the imam for the Merced chapter of Ahmadiyya. Wali remembered when he completed his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1979. “It was very difficult even at that time because there are so many people,” he said. “It takes one little thing and people panic.”

Asifa Sohail, the president of Merced Ahmadiyya’s women’s auxiliary, said something should have been done to prevent the stampede. “Almost every year something like that happens,” she said. “They should figure out ways to help those families.”

In Merced, Muslims marked the “Feast of Sacrifice” with a worship service at the Islamic Center of Merced on Ashby, and those who are part of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community celebrated at the United Methodist Church of Merced on Yosemite Parkway.

“It’s about compassion and giving to others,” said Sanaullah Hussain, the imam at the Islamic Center of Merced. Eid al-Adha also lands at the end of the Islamic calendar, he said.

At the mosque on Ashby, Tanha Mosleh remembered her pilgrimage to Mecca last year. The 29-year-old from Chowchilla went with her parents. She said it was nice to see so many people of different ethnicities who spoke different languages in one place.

Mosleh noted that the hajj requires much patience with other pilgrims. Hussain described the movement around Mecca prior to the second Eid as a “moving city” because the massive amount of people move in sync. But if one is not patient and understanding, their hajj doesn’t count, or is disqualified, Hussain said.

“You say only good things to respect the sacred words,” he said of the pilgrimage. “The hajj shows you again how to be patient.”

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Merced Muslims observe Eid al-Adha in spirit of sacrifice, obedience."