Muslims celebrate Aidiladha with prayers, sacrificial slaughter of animals

Muslims in the country celebrated Aidiladha today with prayers and the sacrificial slaughter of cows and goats.

In the federal capital, more than 14,000 people gathered at the National Mosque for the Aidiladha prayers, which were led by Deputy Grand Imam Mohamad Mohd Zin.

The director-general of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, Datuk Othman Mustapha, also attended the prayers there.

Mohamad, in his sermon, urged Muslims to be always wary of threats to their faith and rational thinking which he said could weaken them.

He also said that the abuse of Internet and telecommunications technology was contrary to the teachings of Islam, legislation and social ethics.

Using the social media to weaken the faith of Muslims was a cunning strategy employed by the enemies of Islam to undermine the religion, he said.

"Today, we see Muslims being attacked from all directions and through various means, from physical assaults to mental, political, economic and cultural attacks.

"Cases of insulting Allah (God), the Prophet and the faith of Muslims, insulting Islam by writing the holy verses on clothing, shoes, slippers, bags, house tiles and tattoos on the body, and hurling insults against Islam, the Malays and the institution of the monarchy have spread far and wide in cyber sphere," he said.

As such, Mohamad said, it was the duty and responsibility of Muslims to apply all kinds of strategic and reasonable means, including the social media, to counter these attacks, propaganda and wiles of the enemies of Islam and those undermining the position of the religion.

In SHAH ALAM, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, attended Aidiladha prayers at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque. The Raja Muda, Tengku Amir Shah, also attended prayers there.

Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali and State Secretary Datuk Mohammed Khusrin Munawi also attended Aidiladha prayers at the mosque where almost 10,000 Muslims had gathered.

The prayers were led by the Mufti of Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid.

Thirty-four cows were slaughtered.

In ALOR SETAR, thousands of Muslims joined the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah, for prayers at the Zahir Mosque.

Also present was the Tunku Temenggong of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Sallehhuddin Sultan Badlishah, who is the chairman of the Kedah Council of Regency.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir also attended the prayers, which were led by the grand imam of the mosque, Syeikh Roslan Abdul Halim.

In IPOH, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, attended Aidiladha prayers at the Sultan Azlan Shah Mosque in Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi.

The Raja Muda, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa; the Raja Di-Hilir, Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain Sultan Idris Shah and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir also attended the prayers.

Prayers were also held at the Muhammadiah Mosque, better known as Masjid Cina, in Taman Tasek Jaya, where Muslim converts and the people of the locality sacrificed five cows and a goat.

In GEORGE TOWN, Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas attended Aidiladha prayers with about 1,000 people at the State Mosque.

Twenty cows were sacrificed.

In KOTA BAHARU, the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Dr Tengku Muhammad Fa-Iz Petra Ibni Sultan Ismail Petra, attended Aidiladha prayers at the state mosque, Masjid Muhammadi.

Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed also attended the prayers.

Tengku Muhammad Fa-Iz Petra then proceeded to Istana Balai Besar to meet the people.

He also visited the Langgar Royal Mausoleum.

In PUTRAJAYA, the office of the Putrajaya parliamentary constituency contributed 55 cows for sacrificial slaughter at the Putra Harmoni Apartments in Precinct 9. Four cows were donated by the Federal Territories Ministry.

Putrajaya Umno Division secretary Sokri Shafee said more than 2,000 Putrajaya folk attended the sacrificial slaughter and the feast.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, attended Aidiladha prayers with more than 2,000 people at the Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque.

Several members of the royalty and Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman also attended the prayers.

In KUANTAN, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, attended prayers with about 1,000 people at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Mosque.

The Tengku Puan, Tengku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, and Pahang state executive councillors also attended the prayers.

After the prayers, the Mufti of Pahang, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman, delivered a sermon.

In MELAKA, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron were joined by thousands of people for the Aidiladha prayers at the Al-Azim Mosque in Bukit Palah.

The sacrificial slaughter of 14 cows was held at the mosque compound and the beef was distributed to the people by Mohd Khalil and Idris.

In JOHOR BAHARU, the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Idris Sultan Ibrahim, and his younger brothers, the Tunku Temenggong, Tunku Idris Iskandar, and Tunku Abu Bakar, attended Aidiladha prayers along with the people at the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and state executive councillors also attended the prayers, along with about 5,000 people.

In KUALA PILAH, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, and the Tunku Ampuan Besar, Tuanku Aishah Rohani Tengku Besar Mahmud, attended Aidiladha prayers at the Tuanku Munawir Royal Mosque in nearby Seri Menanti.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek and about 2,000 people also attended the prayers.

Tuanku Muhriz also visited the Royal Mausoleum located adjacent to the mosque and held 'tahlil' prayers. He also witnessed the sacrificial slaughter of cows.

Tuanku Muhriz also held open house at the Istana Besar Seri Menanti from 10.30 am to 2 pm.