Tweet me!| On behalf of the American people, we would like to extend our greetings during this Hajj season – Eid Mubarak. |
On Thanks giving eve, two days before Eid-ul-Adha, President Obama sent a greeting to muslim pilgrims performing their Hajj, and to all Muslims in the world for the Eid-ul-Adha celebration. This is the greeting message:
"Michelle and I would like to send our best wishes to all those performing Hajj this year, and to Muslims in America and around the world who are celebrating Eid-ul-Adha. The rituals of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha both serve as reminders of the shared Abrahamic roots of three of the world’s major religions.
During Hajj, the world’s largest and most diverse gathering, three million Muslims from all walks of life – including thousands of American Muslims – will stand in prayer on Mount Arafat. The following day, Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha and distribute food to the less fortunate to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son out of obedience to God.
This year, I am pleased that the Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the Saudi Health Ministry to prevent and limit the spread of H1N1 during Hajj. Cooperating on combating H1N1 is one of the ways we are implementing my administration's commitment to partnership in areas of mutual interest.
On behalf of the American people, we would like to extend our greetings during this Hajj season – Eid Mubarak."
"The rituals of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha both serve as reminders of the shared Abrahamic roots of three of the world's major religions," read a White House statement.
A sea of pilgrims from around the world, dressed in white robes and towels, began the five-day hajj late on Tuesday and early on Wednesday, circling the Kaaba shrine inside Mecca's Grand Mosque.
Few people appeared concerned over the main threat to the hajj, swine flu, despite the news that four pilgrims had died from the disease before the rites officially began. But while many are concerned about swine flu, some pilgrims find the time and energy to discuss everyday issues in between prayers and visits to various sites. Among Algerians and Egyptians on the haj here this year, the buzz is about the public row sparked by a soccer game to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Algeria won that match 1-0.
Some pilgrims express their concerns about the tragegic events and bad blood between the fans of the two soccer teams.
“We are brothers … This should have never happened and I blame the media in the two countries for instigating ill feelings among the most foolish of us,” said Khaled Salam Abdallah from Cairo.
Mohamed Lab’haj, an Algerian pilgrim, agreed. “We are more than brothers … The real criminals are the Arab governments. They play with us like they do with a ball … If football had much use in it, they would not have kicked the ball with their feet,” he said.
Abdulwahhab Alyousha, an Algerian pilgrim, said he was outraged that such a spat erupted between two countries that shared a significant part of their modern history. “Egyptians helped our Algerian revolution. I don’t think this dispute will mar bilateral relationships for good,” he said, referring to the movement which led to Algeria’s independence from France in 1962.
Some refused to talk about the issue. “Soccer is a matter of earthly life, we are here to work for our afterlife,” Egyptian pilgrim Adel Abdul-Shafi said.
Egyptian and Algerian football fans may have had their differences over the World Cup Finals, but the situation was different among pilgrims from the two countries, whose Haj missions were coincidentally next to each other at King Abdul Aziz Airport’s Pilgrim City.
“We forgot all about the match when we came together,” said Egyptian pilgrim Sayed Ahmad.
“The atmosphere here is spiritual and Haj has united us,” said Algerian Zakariya Modad. “It was great to see the harmony and solidarity between the two missions.”
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia warned earlier this month against any attempt to politicise the pilgrimage, saying they would threaten the safety of worshipers. In 1987, a rally by pilgrims against Israel and the United States led to clashes with Saudi security forces in which 402 people, mostly Iranians, died.
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