Millions of Muslims across world celebrate Eid al-Ghadir

Rasa – Millions of Shi’a Muslims across the world, including in Iran, are celebrating the Eid al-Ghadir, which marks the appointment of the first Shi’a Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib, by Islam’s most revered figure, Prophet Muhammad, as his successor.

News ID: 423722

Date: 20 September 2016 - 13:26

RNA – Iranians from various walks of life are celebrating the auspicious occasion, which annually falls on the 18th of Dhul-Hijjah on the Islamic lunar calendar, with various ceremonies and rituals in different cities.

On the auspicious occasion, people come to streets and extend greetings and felicitations to each other, especially to the families who are descendants of Prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, the sons of the Prophet’s daughter Fatimah Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Many young Iranian couples choose the auspicious event as their wedding date in the hope that their marriage is blessed with the memory of Imam Ali.

Eid al-Ghadir is also referred to as Eid al-Akbar (the Greatest Eid) in Islamic narrations, since Muslims are of the opinion that the mission of all the previous messengers of God became accomplished on this day.

On March 10, 632 CE, in the tenth year of Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad received a revelation from God, ordering him to halt his last Hajj pilgrimage known as the Hajjat al-Wida (the Farewell Pilgrimage) at a pond called Khumm, near Makkah, and to designate Imam Ali as his successor in guiding and ruling Muslims. The event took place a few months before the demise of Prophet Muhammad.

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