Iran Holiday Eid al-Ghadir

Eid al-Ghadir, Iran

Eid al-Ghadir - "Pond Feast" is an Islamic commemorative holiday and is considered one of the important festivals of Shia Muslims. Eid al-Adha is held on the 18th of Dhul-Hijjah at the time when the Islamic prophet Muhammad is said to have appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. According to Shia hadiths, this Eid was called "Eid-e Bozorg-e Elahi" - "the greatest divine Eid", "Eid Ahl al-Bayt Muhammad" and Ashraf al-Ayyad (that is, the highest Eid).

Ten years after the migration (hijra), the Islamic prophet Muhammad ordered his followers to call on people everywhere to join him on his first and last pilgrimage. Islamic scholars believe that more than seventy thousand people followed Muhammad on his way to Mecca, where on the fourth day of the month of Dhul-Hijja, more than one hundred thousand Muslims gathered at his entrance to the city. Returning from this pilgrimage, on the 18th Dhul-Hijja 10 AH (March 632 CE) in the area known as Ghadir Khumm, Muhammad gave a famous sermon during which he called his cousin and son-in-law Ali. Ibn Abi Talib and said: "For whomever I am mawla, Ali is also their mawla".

Although the meaning of the word mawla can be interpreted as "master", and thus the sermon is seen as the official designation of Ali as Muhammad's successor. As a result, the date of the sermon is considered one of the founding events of Shia Islam, and the anniversary becomes one of the most important annual holidays such as Eid al-Ghadir.

Shia Muslims around the world celebrate this event every year with a variety of customs. It is held in various countries, including Iran, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Iraq, UAE, Yemen, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Turkey, Bahrain, and Syria. Shia Muslims also celebrate Eid Ghadir in Europe and America, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and France. In 2022, Tehran hosted a 10-kilometer festival dedicated to the Ghadir ceremony, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Valiasr and nearby streets.

According to reports, Hasan ibn Ali performed ceremonies in Kufa on the day of Ghadir. Ali ibn Abu Talib used to attend the ceremony accompanied by a group of his followers. After the ceremony, Hassan ibn Ali gave gifts to people. Greeting, shaking hands, wearing new clothes, using perfume, offering, helping others, reciting prayers, feeding others, making others happy, and giving gifts to others are some of the suggested customs reported in the narratives. Also, people can go to see the customs of Shia husna aliyah.

Iran National and Public Holidays

02.01.24

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