DUSHANBE, December 20, Asia-Plus - On Wednesday December 20, Tajikistan’s Shuroi Ulamo (Council of Religious Scholars) hold a meeting in Dushanbe to discuss issues related to celebration of Idi Qurbon (Eid ul-Adha in Arabic) festival this year.

This year, Tajikistan will hold celebrations to mark Idi Qurbon festival on December 31.  

Idi Qurbon (Eid ul-Adha) occurs on the tenth day of the Islamic month of Zul-Hijjah.  It is one of two Eid festivals that Muslims celebrate. 

Eid ul-Adha is celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son (Ishmael) for Allah.  Depending on the individual and area of the Muslim world the son of Abraham will be named or go unnamed.  Others celebrate Eid-ul Adha as it marks the end of the Pilgrimage or Hajj for the millions of Muslims who make the trip to Mecca each year.  Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha also begins with a short prayer followed by a khutba.  In Mecca, the Khutba is delivered from Mount Arafat.  

The Hajj, a journey to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, is one of the five pillars of Islam.