HALLOWEEN & SACRIFICE FEAST
Halloween is actually a shortened version of ‘’All Hallows Even’’, ‘’the eve of All Hallows’ day’’. Hallow is an old English word for holy person. It is also called ‘’All Saints’ Day’’,the day Catholics commemorate all the saints. In fact;Halloween is a combination of several different traditions. The celebration started on October 31. Halloween dates back in the early Middle Ages when Celtics lived.This was the time of year when the physical and supernatural things could happen. Celts worshipped the beauty of nature. They also worshipped Samhain who was the king of the cold. They thought Samhain would call together all of the dead and souls would take on the shape of an animal. Such as; werewolves,vampires… New year on November 1 marked the end of summer and the beginning of the dark that was associated with human death. On the night of October 31 Celtics believed that the ghosts returned to earth to wander round. Decoration of Halloween is used the jack-o’-lantern (a hollowed-out pumpkin carved to look like a comical face and its inside is a candle ). In most Halloween decorations orange and black associated with darkness. In that day people who believe Halloween wear customs. Such as; witches,ghosts and other supernatural customs… Another tradition is ‘trick-or-treating’. Children go from house to house to solicit candy from their neighbours. Since the early 20th century it has come ceremonial. Today many parents accompanying their children when they go trick-or-treating. To remember their ancestors Druids build fires on the hilltops in belief that large fire help the Sun God and give him power to overcome the lord of the darkness. It is believed that the celebration has Celtic roots and related to ancient Celtic known as ‘Samhain’. It is a harvest festival that announces beginning of the year.
Sacrifice Feast is also called Kurban Bajram. It is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah. The festival of sacrifice is four days long and starts on the 10th day of the month of the Islamic calendar. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan. Sacrificial sheep or other animals are slaughtered and the meat distributed to the poor. People wear the finest clothes to go to mosque. They visit friends and relatives to celebrate.According to Islamic rules, every Muslim who is wealthy enough must sacrifice a farm animal for God. There are strict rules on eligibility for sacrifice – the animals have to be at least one year old and in good health. The meat from the animal is then shared – one third saved for the household, one third shared between friends and neighbours and the final third given to the poor. According to Quran a large portion of the meat is given to poor and hungry people. In recent years some families have begun to make charitable donations instead of the sacrifice. During the celebration of Kurban Bajram, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham's trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, we are reminded that life is sacred. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah's commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.
