In Pictures: Eid al-Adha 2013

Millions of Muslims around the world observed Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, on Tuesday, one of Islam’s most poignant religious holidays.

The holiday marks what Muslims believe is Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his own son as an act of obedience to God.

At the last minute, they believe, God intervened, and gave Ibrahim a ram to sacrifice instead.

In Turkey, tens of thousands of Syrians taking shelter at the Kilis refugee camp woke at dawn to take part in the traditional morning Eid prayers.

In Kilis town proper, goats, lambs and rams were prepared for sacrifice in an event organised by Turkey’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Traditionally, Muslims sacrifice an animal at Eid and share the meat with their families, neighbours, and people less fortunate than themselves.

Syrian refugee families were also among those fed this year.

In East Africa, hundreds of Kenyan Muslims gathered for early morning prayers in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

After the recent attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall by al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab, that saw more than 60 people killed and over 100 injured, peaceful relations between the Muslim and Christian communities in Kenya looked strained.

However, Muslim worshippers are still condemning the attack and are thankful to Kenyans, Muslims and non-Muslims, for maintaining peace and coming together to help one another in the nations hour of need. – AP