The festival of Eid-ul-Adha – a time of prayer and celebration
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United in prayer: the Festival of Sacrifice marks the highpoint of the Muslim hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lifetime, but not everyone can afford to. That′s why celebrations are held around the globe, such as here in Nairobi, and prayers are said everywhere -
Animal sacrifices: every year, as here in India, millions of sheep, lambs, cattle and - in some regions - camels are slaughtered. This is in memory of the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), who was prepared to sacrifice his son to God (Allah). But Allah was merciful – so the story goes – and Abraham was allowed to sacrifice a sheep instead -
Holy ritual: the slaughter of cloven-hoofed animals is another aspect of the festival for which people gather together. In Egypt’s capital, Cairo, Muslims take part in the holy ritual. At the end the meat is distributed among the believers: a third is for the family, a third for friends and a third is given to the poor -
A family affair: many Muslims are keen to get home for the beginning of the Festival of Sacrifice, known in Arabic as ″Eid-ul-Adha″. It′s traditionally a time for friends and family to get together. Thousands of people here are trying to catch the last train from the Bangladesh capital Dhaka. Some 90 percent of the population are Muslim -
Filigree patterns: since the Festival of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Adha) is a special occasion, many Muslims dress up. In Bangladesh, Pakistan and many other countries, the women apply henna tattoos to their hands. Believers put on their best clothes and most valuable jewellery to attend the prayers and celebrations -
Roses for the dead: even those who have already passed on are remembered during Eid-ul-Adha. These Muslims in Hyderabad, India are packing roses into little bags. Later the roses will be placed on the graves of the dead as a sign of respect -
Shrouded in smoke: this year believers in Indonesia have had to wear face masks in some areas. Smoke from illegal slash and burn operations in the rainforest on Sumatra have led to smog in many places. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world -
Under police protection: terrorist attacks have become the order of the day during Eid ul-Adha in recent years. Security is therefore high in many countries. Such as here in Karachi, Pakistan′s largest city, which has an estimated population of 15 million -
Celebrating under fire...: Muslims in Syria are also celebrating Eid-ul-Adha. In the Syrian town of Idlib, some 60 kilometres southwest of Aleppo, these children are enjoying the holiday – despite the civil war and daily bombing raids run by the Syrian air force -
...and in safety: this young refugee has been given a balloon to celebrate the festival. In many refugee shelters in Germany and Austria, Muslims have come together to cook, pray and celebrate Eid-ul-Adha – no longer in fear of their lives