Times change, but Eid still celebrated with families

Distances do not matter these days with the advancement of the technology, but a few things won’t change when it comes to celebrating Eid festivals in Oman. There was no compromise on the traditional practices as people from different wilayats around the Sultanate celebrated the Eid al Adha with prayers, greetings and even sacrifices. Eid al Adha is known as the feast of sacrifice (big Eid) and the name (Al Adha) refers to the story of the prophet Ibrahim when Almighty tested his faithfulness by asking him to sacrifice his only son as a proof of his obedience. The Almighty stooped him and gave him a sheep instead. As usual, the first day of Eid al Adha was the busiest day for the most Omanis — morning begins with Eid prayers, kids wait in the queue for Eidyyah while women prepare varieties of delicacies at home. After prayers, men head to slaughter the sacrifice — either goats or cows. They make shuwa, mishkak, and maqli. Every day, there is a different meal. Eid has been always a big opportunity for Omanis to visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts and participates in feasts. If planned well, we can easily take advantage of the five-day holidays. “Eid al Adha which fell on Friday this year forced me to change my decision to stay back home. Last Eid, I was out of the country and I couldn’t enjoy the festival far from my family,” said Mohsin al Balushi. “Eid offers great opportunity to exchange greetings and share the moments of joy others,” he added. Hammam al Badi