Bishkek, Aug. 21, 2018. /Kabar/. One of the main Muslim holidays - Kurman ait –celebrated today in Kyrgyzstan. By tradition, Kurman ait starts on the 10th day of the month of Thou-Al-Hijjah, i.e. 70 days after the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan, and lasts for 3-4 days, coinciding with the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
The main ritual of the holiday is performed in Mecca, Mina Valley, where Ibrahim, bending to the will of Allah, was ready to sacrifice his son. However, Allah, seeing Ibrahim make up his mind to the sacrifice, let him to substitute lamb for his son.
Muslims prepare for the Feast of Sacrifice beforehand. 20 days prior to the solemn date Muslims are not supposed to have a good time, wear new clothes, have their hair cut, etc.
Muslims start celebrating early in the morning: having performed ablutions and dressing up for the occasion, they set off to the mosque, where they perform collective prayers and listen to the sermon of imam-khatib.
After the holiday prayer Muslims start the main ritual of the holiday — sacrifice. Over the animal prepared for slaughtering, a prayer is read, then it is laid on the ground with its head in the direction of Mecca. Afterwards, the owner of the ram (sheep, goat, camel, cow) or a person hired for the purpose cuts the animal’s throat.
According to Muslim tradition, a believer can proceed to the Heaven through the back of the sacrificed animal, passing the Siraat bridge, “as thin as a hair and as sharp as the sharpest sword, as hot as fire”, thrown over the Hell. If the Muslim deviates from the sacrifice, he can not overcome the Sirat and will go to hell.
Muslims perform ritual rites both on the first and the following days of the occasion. However, it is forbidden to leave the meat of the animal sacrificed for the days after the holiday.
The meat of the sacrificed animals becomes a part of traditional dishes, which are eaten at festive meals, and are given away to friends, neighbors and the needy people.
On the holiday’s eve housewives bake bread, flat bread-lepeshka, pies and sponge cakes, and make raisin and almond desserts. Festive table includes various dishes from all kinds of food products, but, above all, the meat of the sacrificed animal.
Generally, on the first day heart and liver are cooked.
On the second day in most Muslim families soups with sheep head and feet are prepared, and traditional meat dishes with beans, vegetables and rice on the side are served. On the third and fourth days soups from bones and fried mutton ribs are cooked.
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