Saudi Arabia Holidays
All Saudi Arabian holidays are Islamic and religious in nature. The celebration begins at the same time as the sun sets, and continues until the next sunset..
Ramadan
This is one of the most revered holidays in Islamic culture. According to legend, on the 27th day of the month, a revelation descended on the prophet. This night, Muslims celebrate the Night of Destiny, which has become the most pious Islamic holiday..
Several more holidays are celebrated throughout the month. All this time, the inhabitants of the country observe a strict fast. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with the holiday of breaking the fast.
Hajj
The main holiday in Saudi Arabia falls on the twelfth month of the Muslim calendar. This is the time of the mass pilgrimage to Mecca. These days, a huge number of pilgrims strive to visit places that are sacred for the inhabitants of the country. These are the sacred Kaaba, the plate of Makab-Ibrahim, the al-Masjid-al-Haram mosque, the Zamzam well and others..
Every believer will certainly visit Medina, its places of worship: the Mosque of the Prophet and the mosques at-Taqwa and Cuba.
The country closes all government offices for two whole weeks. Many commercial establishments in Saudi Arabia do the same..
Jinadriya
This is the only festive event that has no religious basis. The festival of culture and folklore is celebrated in the month of February and lasts for two whole weeks. The event includes the Royal Camel Race.
Feast of Sacrifice
The holiday was based on a biblical story, but in a slightly different interpretation. In the original, the only son of Abraham, Isaac, was to become a sacrifice to God. But Muslims «replaced» his Ismail, automatically making Isaac the second son of Abraham. The Almighty appreciated the devotion of Abraham, who decided to sacrifice his eldest son, and allowed him to be replaced with a lamb.
The celebration of the day of the sacrifice begins in the morning. In the afternoon, after the completion of all religious rituals, you can proceed directly to the rite itself. The meat of the slain lamb is used to prepare various dishes. It is impossible to skimp on food on this day, so the poor and hungry residents of the country also participate in the feast..
Eid al-Adha (holiday of breaking the fast)
They begin to prepare for it already 4 days before the start. At this time, the house is cleaned, and then it is beautifully decorated. On the eve of the holiday, in the evening, women prepare holiday dishes, and the children must take them to the homes of other relatives..
On the day of the celebration, it is customary to give alms, since every resident of the country should have the opportunity to enjoy the great holiday..
