Kazakhstan celebrates holy Qurban Ayt

ASTANA. November 16. KAZINFORM Kazakhstanis as well as the whole Islamic world are celebrating the three-day Qurban Ayt holiday today. November 16 was announced non-working day in Kazakhstan. 2 mln 500 thousand pilgrims went to Mecca this year, the majority of them is from Turkey - 100 thousand people. Around 4 thousand Kazakhstanis also left for holy Mecca to fulfill their duty of Muslim.

Qurban Ayt is celebrated to commemorate prophet Ibrahim. For the Muslims this day is connected with one of the pillars of Islam - Hajj. In accordance with traditions, a person should sacrifice a sheep, and a group of one to seven people should sacrifice a camel. The sacrificed animals must be healthy. The meat is divided into three parts to be distributed to others. The family retains one third of the share, another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors, and the other third is given to the poor and needy.

Qurban Ait is one of the greatest holidays of the Islamic world. The holiday embodies care of relatives and compassion to the people in need. It is a tradition to wake up early, put on the bets clothes, be friendly and visit parents, elders and sick relatives and remember the dead with prayers on this day.