Eid ul-Adha celebrations to commence in Slough and Windsor

Slough and Windsor communities are gearing up to celebrate Eid ul-Adha this weekend. Eid ul-Adha is one of the two most important celebrations in the Islamic calendar after Eid ul-Fitr and marks the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj – the fifth Pillar of Islam. In the run up to Eid in Slough an outreach stall was held by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Slough at the Windsor Summer Fayre and Cippenham Carnival. Members will be celebrating Eid over the weekend and will be serving the homeless community with hot meals on Saturday as part of its local community welfare and support initiative. Atiq Ahmad Bhatti, spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Slough, said: “Eid ul-Adha is a very important celebration for Muslims and is a time where those less fortunate may be helped and supported.

“It has been three years since we were able to celebrate Eid ul-Adha together (due to the pandemic), and we are very much looking forward to celebrating together. “The highlight for Eid will be the live sermon by the Head of the Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.” In Windsor, an Eid in the Park event will be held at Dedworth Manor Park by Windsor Muslim Association (WMA) on Saturday. The community celebration was also held earlier this year to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr. Those from both whole faith or no-faith communities are welcome to come and join the festivities. Prayer will commence at 9am, lasting for about five minutes and will be followed by a sermon which will last for 15 minutes. Following the sermon, attendees will have time to socialise and meet, wishing each other a happy Eid ul-Adha.

Attendees will also be served with traditional sweets and there will also be children’s activities at the event, including a bouncy castle and slide. Free ice cream will also be served for all to enjoy. Mohamed Arif, chairman of Windsor Muslim Association, said: “We [are] organising the event in the open space for whole faith and no faith communities [so they] can come together. “I take this opportunity to wish happy Eid ul-Adha for all Muslims live in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and beyond.”