BEIJING, Auguts 16 (INP): Pakistanis celebrated Eid Azha in Lanzhou, China, with traditional fervor, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Tuesday.

Lanzhou is a land of ancient silk roads and the capital city of Gansu province, northwest China where many Pakistanis and foreigners are studying and running business.

Pakistani researchers (Dr. Sufyan Javed, Dr. Adnan Akram, Dr. Kamran Malik, Dr. Akram, Dr. Athar Khaliq, and Saamat Ali Saghar) who are serving at Lanzhou University, shared their Eid celebration experience and story with China Economic Net (CEN).

They told CEN that their experience might be very useful for those Muslim people who have doubts about coming to China and for those people who are afraid of leaving home and being all alone in another country.

Dr. Sufyan Javed noted, “Today is Eid al-Adha here in China and it is our first experience of animal sacrifice (Qurbani) in China”. Eid al-Adha or Festival of Sacrifice is a major religious festival celebrated by Muslims across the world.

Muslims observe this day to reminisce the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for the sake of God.

“We woke up in the early morning and wore traditional dress to offer Eid prayer and went to Masjid. Then, we went to sacrificed animals designated place Xiaoxihu (a local Muslim area of Lanzhou) to purchase the goat for sacrifice.

After that, we broughtsacrificed goat meat to our community and distributed a major portion to the Pakistani Muslim students of Lanzhou University, China. Then, we cooked a lot of Pakistani food and we savoured them until our stomachs could not stretch anymore”, he stated.

Dr. Athar Khaliq and Saamat Ali Saghar said that in the evening, they went to a beautiful, historical, and natural place Zhongshan Qiao (a famous bridge on the Yellow River). “We enjoyed the fresh air, boating, and walking on the bank of the Yellow River. At night we came back to our apartments”, he said.

They further said that Eid day in China is a great one although they are thousands of miles away from home. “It’s all because of wonderful friends. Long live Pak-China friendship”, some of them exclaimed.

“We are expected to share our food with the less fortunate. Traditionally, meat is divided into three equal parts: one for home; one for family, friends, and neighbours; and one for the poor. Another important thing is that we are expected to make donations to charity to mark the festival.

Every time we arrange a grand lunch and dinner on the first day of the festival and exchange gifts with each other. I try to visit all my friends around and wish them Eid greetings”, Dr. Adnan Akram added.

Dr. Kamran Malik said that the second and third day of the festival is also busy with different activities like eating together, spending time, and going out to play with friends here at Lanzhou University and outside the campus.