The Moslems have two Eids, or to be exact, Allah has chosen those two Eids for them, according to a holy Saying (Hadith) of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The first one is Ramadan Eid and the second one is the Eid of Sacrifice, or the Eid of Haj, or officially Eid Al- Adhha. Today Tuesday the sixteenth of November is the Eid of Haj. Three million Moslems are gathering in the Holy Land to perform the fifth pillar of Islam, Haj. The fixed date of Eid Al Adhha is the tenth day of the month of Zulhijja, which is the twelfth month of the Hijra Calendar. The main event of this occasion is Haj. The functionaries of Haj start on the eighth day of the month from Mina Ritual, which lies about three miles from Makkah. Before coming to Mina all the Pilgrims start their holy journey by visiting the Holy city of Makkah to perform (coming Tawaf) going around the Holy Kaaba and jogging between Safa and Marwa, two small mountains adjacent to the Kaaba. The Pilgrims spend the ninth day in Arafat,(seven miles from Makkah) that is the main Haj event. The Pilgrims descend to Mina to spend the Eid Day. They slaughter their sacrifices and stone the Satan. They spend three additional days called days of (Tashreeq), where and when they complete the function of stoning the Satan. Before or after Haj, all the Pilgrims make sure to go to Madinah (about 400 miles north of Makkah) to visit the Grave of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Before leaving the Holy Land, the Pilgrims perform (the Farewell Tawaf).

Livestock prices have risen in Khartoum as Muslims celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice, or Eid al-Adha.
Sheep are particularly in demand during the holiday period as they are sold to be slaughtered and eaten as part of the celebrations.
Sudan Radio Service spoke to traders who were selling sheep in the city. They say prices have risen sharply because Sudanese livestock exports have increased over the last year and there are fewer sheep on the market.
Salim Abdalla Hamad Salim is from Southern Kordofan.
[Salim Abdalla]: “The price of sheep has risen this year compared to last year because the export market has affected the prices and makes them expensive. Large numbers have been exported. I cannot say exactly how many have been exported but large numbers of sheep have been exported. Some animals are being sold for between 400 SDG and 150 SDG. Prices depend on the size of the animal. The big one has its price and the small one has its price also. The cheapest sheep goes for 135 SDG and the highest price is 500 SDG. This year, business is not going well because of the increase in prices.”
Ismail Abdalla Imam, from Kutum in Northern Darfur, says large numbers of quality sheep from Darfur have been exported and this explains the rise in prices.
[Ismail Abdalla Imam]: “We have special customers and we bring them the kind of animals they require. As you can see here, most of these animals are from western Sudan - these red ones are from western Sudan and the white ones are from eastern Sudan. You have to provide quality to stimulate the market and motivate the customer who comes to buy. That big white sheep over there will sell for around 550 SDG and the red one is also worth 550 SDG. The white one in the middle could fetch up to 330 SDG.”
Eid al-Adha is a Muslim holiday which celebrates the story of Ibrahim, or Abraham, whose faith was so strong he was prepared to sacrifice his son to God

islamic Pilgrimage "Hajj"&Festival of Sacrifice "Eid Al-Adha"

"Hajj" is one of the "five pillars" of the Islamic faith. (The other "Pillars" include a declaration of faith, daily prayers, offering regular charity, and fasting during the month of Rmadan). Hajj activities take place during six days (8th-13th) of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah. Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. It is also a form of worship that involves the entire being: body, mind and soul.

The Obligatory and optional activities of "Hajj" include:

* Entrance into a state of self-control called ihram, during which pilgrims are forbidden to harm living cretures or even raise the voice in anger. The state of ihram is signified (for men) by the wearing of two pieces of unsewn white cloth. No specific clothing is prescribed for female pilgrims.

* Circling of the Holy Ka'aba, the stone building Muslims believe was originally built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Ka'aba is viewed as the first sanctuary on earth dedicated to the worship of the One God. It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are performed, are oriented in the direction of Ka'aba.

* The Sa'i, or "hastening" between two small hills near the Ka'aba, to commemorate Hagar's search for water to offer her son Ishmael.

* The stoning of three pillars representing Satan's temptation of Abraham. The stoning indicates the pilgrim's rejection of evil deeds.

* Cutting the hair to symbolize the completion of "Hajj".

* Sacrifice of an animal to help the poor, and in remembrance Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God's command. The meat is distributed to relatives and to the needy.

When the major portion of the pilgrimage is completed, Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day (March 16*) of Eid ul-Ad'ha (eed-al-odd-ha), the second of the two major Muslim holidays.

NOTE - Because the beginning of Islamic lunar months depends on th eactuals sighting of the new moon, the start date for Hajj and Eid ul-Ad'ha may vary.

Sudan Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.

Public holiday note:

Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.

HAJJ [Q & A]

Q: WHAT DOES THE QURAN SAY ABOUT HAJJ?
A: In the Quran, Islam's revealed text, God says:
"Thus We settled Abraham at the site of the House (the Ka'aba) (saying): 'Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My house for those who walk around it, and those who stand there (praying), and those who bow down on their knees in worship. Proclaim the pilgrimage among mankind: they will come to you on foot and on every lean (beast of burden); Let them come from every deep ravine, to bear witness to the advantages they have, and to mention God's name on appointed days.." Chapter 22, verses 26-28.

Q: WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE THEY GAIN FROM HAJJ?
A: The main benefit of Hajj for many people is the sense of purification, repentance and spiritual renewal it instills. After his Hajj, Malcolm X wrote in his autobiography: "...I have eaten from the same plate, drank from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug) - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims whose eyes were bluest of the blue, whose hair was blondest of the blonde and whose skin was whitest of the white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana..In the past I permitted myself to be used to make sweeping indictments of ...the entire white race...Because of the spiritual enlightenment which I was blessed to receive as a result of my recent pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to the sweeping indictments of any one race. I am now striving to live the life of a true Muslim."
Q: WHY DOES HAJJ BEGIN ON A DIFFERENT DAY EACH YEAR?
A: Because Dhul-Hijjah is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year.
Q: WHY DO MUSLIMS SACRIFICE A LAMB OR OTHER ANIMAL DURING THE FESTIVAL OF EID UL-ADHA?
A: The sacrifice commenmorates the Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son, identified in Islam as Ishmael, at God's request. This is not a blood offering. In the Quran God states: "Neither their meat nor their blood ever reaches God, but heedfulness on your part does reach Him." (Chapter 22, verse 37) The meat is distributed to relatives and to the needy.
Q: IS HAJJ AN OBLIGATION ON ALL MUSLIMS?
A: Yes, but only for those who are physically and financially able to make the trip.
Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST VISUALLY STRIKING ASPECTS OF HAJJ?
A: All pilgrims must do tawaf, or circling the Ka'aba. This obligation creates a stunning scene as thousands of people circle the building at all times of the day and night. Also, the standing at Arafah on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah presents a scene in which several million people all dressed alike and with the same intention to worship God, gather on a barren plain.
Q: HOW SHOULD NON-MUSLIM FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS INTERACT WITH SOMEONE WHO IS GOING ON HAJJ OR CELEBRATING AT HOME?
A: Hajj is a high point in a Muslim's life. Questions are welcome and congratulations are in order. Most communities welcome visitors at Eid congratulations are in order. Most communities welcome visitors at Eid ul-Adha prayers. Just ask a Muslim friend to act as an escort and guide.