Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 4 /Trend/
U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday send a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of Qurban Holiday (Eid al-Adha).
"We are proud that thousands of American Muslims have joined nearly three million Muslims to perform the Hajj, whose rituals serve as reminders of the shared Abrahamic roots of three of the world`s major religions", Obama said in his letter.
"In addition to those who made the pilgrimage this year, Muslims throughout the world will spend this Eid reflecting on their relationship with God and commemorating Abraham`s willingness to sacrifice his son by donating food to the less fortunate. Many of the world`s Muslims have also chosen to show their readiness to be generous to those who are today in dire need, including to those in the Horn of Africa who suffer from drought and famine", the letter says.
Obama said that when so many people from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds overcome their differences in order to focus on something greater, it is a "lesson to all of humanity that our diversity is a God-given source of strength that should be embraced".
"On behalf of the American people, we would like to extend Eid greetings to Muslims around the world during this special time and our congratulations to those who have successfully completed the Hajj", read the letter.