Bakrid, the festival of sacrifice, was celebrated in Andhra Pradesh with enthusiasm and religious fervour on Saturday.
Offering of special Id prayers at various idgahs and mosques and performance of qurbani to commemorate the intended sacrifice of Hazrath Ibrahim marked the celebrations.
Large congregations of namazis were seen at different mosques in the city. Bakrid coincided with the ongoing Ganesh festival adding to the buzz in the city.
The discourses in mosques were about the profound sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim made and how it would remain a very important occasion in the history of Islam.
The entire life led by him was a symbol of devotion, dedication, and righteousness which was matchless. Prophet Ibrahim left his family and everything for pursuing his divine path, said the religious heads who led the prayers.
Special arrangements were made for the comfort of the devotees participating in prayers.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, in his message, said it was a festival of sacrifice as the faithful commemorated the faith, devotion and spirit to sacrifice one’s everything to serve and follow the Almighty God.
He said the festival promoted communal harmony, a spirit that should be imbibed by everybody.
In Tirupati
Festive mood prevailed in the temple city, as thousands of Muslims gathered at the local Idgah grounds to offer prayers as a part of Bakrid celebrations. The pleasant weather drew both the young and the old to take part in the festivities, as they made their way to the sprawling Idgah grounds on the S.V. University road, to offer namaz dressed in their new attire.
With the spells of rain in the past few days, special arrangements, in the form of shelters, were made to protect the people.
Meanwhile, politicians competed with each other at almost all places to greet the Muslims, joining the prayers with them at various mosques in Chittoor district. Poor-feeding and charity marked the Bakrid festivities.
Special prayers
Ongole Special Correspondent adds:
Special prayers were organised at the tastefully-decorated Mecca Masjid, Madina Masjid, Pedda Masjid, Gantapalem Masjid, Hussain Masjid, Zubeda Masjid and Kausar Masjid, among other places of worship, in Prakasam district. Maulana Rahim Khan, who led the special prayers at the Konjedu Idgah, said 100 goats were sacrificed by the faithful here.
BJP leader Sk. Khalifatullah Basha and others exchanged greetings and distributed sacrificial meat to friends and relatives.
In Kurnool, Kadapa
Kurnool Special Correspondent adds:
Thousands of Muslims offered mass prayers before the Idgahs in Kurnool and Kadapa districts on Saturday. Mandal Khaji Noor Ahmed explained the significance of Bakrid festival in Bethamcherla. Muslim elders Murtaza Vali, Noorullah Khadri, Abdul Haq, Mustafa and MPTC member Jakirullah Baig took part in the festivities.
Mutawalli Syed Shah Mohammed Jamalullah Basha Saheb gave the message to the Muslims who offered mass prayers at Muradiya Shahi Dargah at Dandu in Kadapa.