Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 16 / Trend A.Gasimova /
The Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia participated in several events marking the celebration of the holy Muslim holiday of Qurban with the local diaspora, the embassy reported today.
A flower-laying ceremony was held at the bust of national leader Heydar Aliyev upon the embassy's initiative.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Namig Aliyev congratulated participants on the holiday. He also noted that after Aliyev retruned to power, he created all of the necessary conditions to ensure that the "sacred holiday would be celebrated, and always participated in the festivities." Aliyev also made a pilgrimage to Mecca, the ambassador said.
The embassy representatives also participated in Eid Salaah in Georgian mosques.
The embassy also held rituals of animal sacrifice and the meat was given to the needy and poor in regions densely populated by Azerbaijanis.
Qurban (Festival of Sacrifice) is an ancient holiday. The religious ritual of sacrificing existed long before Islam. During Qurban, every Muslim must sacrifice an animal and give the meat as a gift to the poor, as the tradition embodies a core essence of the religion. The Koran says: "Allah needs neither meat, nor the blood of an animal, but only your faith."