Hawzah News Agency-Welcoming refugees and newcomers to their community, Muslims in Kitchener, Ontario, are holding a special event to mark `Eid Al-Adha.

“Most of the people are refugees or immigrants and they don’t have many family members here,” Nadia Muhammad, the main organizer of the event, told.

“So they will feel like family here and we have a platform where we can celebrate together.”

`Eid Al-Adha, or “Feast of Sacrifice”, marks the end of the Hajj season and is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations, together with `Eid Al-Fitr.

A financially-able Muslim sacrifices a single sheep or goat or shares with six others in sacrificing a camel or a cow as an act of worship during the four-day `Eid Al-Adha celebrations.

The ritual commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to Allah as an act of obedience and submission.

The Udhiyah meat is divided in three equal parts, one each for one’s own family, friends and the poor.

In Kitchener, the event is planned at the Victoria Hills Community Centre at 5:30 pm.

The event will begin with entertainment, games, and speeches, followed by dinner at 6:15 pm.

Those heading over to the event will also enjoy a potluck dinner, games, and music performances.

The celebrations are put together by the Victoria Hills Neighborhood Association, the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener Waterloo and The City of Kitchener.

For Nadia, the celebration offered a great opportunity to connect those people to the community.

“Muslim communities, like any other community, they like to meet with their family and friends on such an occasion, especially `Eid, so we are going to go it together so they don’t feel alone and they feel welcome,” she added.