Eid Al-Adha Blessings, And For The Third Year, Sudanese Are Between Displaced And Refugee

PortSudan(Sudanow)- For the third year, Eid Al-Adha passes, and the Sudanese people are between displaced and refugee, while others remain steadfast, clinging to life inside cities and villages despite the circumstances of war.

Eid has special rituals and a unique flavor in Sudan, distinguishing it from other occasions. Preparations begin ahead of time with purchases of new clothes, sweets, and the sacrificial sheep, which represents an important religious rite connected to the fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj pilgrimage to the Holy House of God. Eid al-Adha is also known as the "Greater Eid" and the "Eid of Sacrifice" due to the sacrifice of Prophet Ismail, who was spared by God when Prophet Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice him as an act of obedience. Instead, God provided a ram from heaven to be sacrificed. This story holds great significance for Sudanese people, who celebrate it annually by sacrificing animals as an offering to God.

Despite the circumstances faced by citizens, including displacement, refuge, and separation from their homes, the will of the Sudanese people has overcome the challenges. Initiatives have begun from the Zakat Chamber, some local voluntary organizations, philanthropists, and youth efforts to provide sacrifices and material and in-kind donations to families of martyrs, wounded, and missing persons, as well as some vulnerable groups of displaced people, especially in displacement camps and shelters. Additionally, official authorities are striving to provide sacrifices to citizens at reasonable prices.

In a survey for this great occasion, Sudanow looked at the prices of sacrifices and the citizens' enthusiasm and readiness for Eid inside and outside Sudan. The starting point was inside the village market 6 in the displaced persons camp south of Ad Damar city, River Nile State. The merchant, Mohamed Al-Haj Ali, said that sheep prices have seen a significant increase this year, with a decrease in the percentage of purchases by citizens compared to the previous two years. Prices ranged between 250,000 to 900,000 Sudanese pounds, varying from state to another, especially in safe states and areas of production and abundance, due to lower transportation costs. He added that there was a considerable influx of supply to the state, which contributed to lowering prices and increasing demand, enabling most families to obtain a sacrificial sheep and bring joy to children's hearts.
The citizen spends the third Eid between displacement and refuge, while some remain steadfast. Al-Haj Hassan Bashir Zaki, a displaced citizen in River Nile State, said that Eid has a different flavor compared to Eid in Khartoum. This is his third Eid away from home, family, and neighbors. The joy is incomplete, and happiness is missing due to the struggles of displacement, need, and limited resources. However, the youth in the neighborhood, in cooperation with organizations, the Zakat Chamber, and philanthropists, provided a considerable number of cattle, slaughtered them, and distributed the meat to the residents of the displaced persons camp. This had a profound impact on the displaced people in the villages and cities.

Sudanow continued its tour outside Sudan and over the phone, met with Professor Abdel Qayyum Abdel Hamid Ali, who took refuge with his family in Egypt, to talk about Eid away from family and homeland. He said it's a strange and completely different feeling, not just about the sacrifice, but about the sense of Eid's joy, starting from Fajr prayer, the chanting of "There is no God but Allah" and "Allahu Akbar", hugging loved ones, neighbors, and children as they wait for Eid gifts from you.

Then, visiting neighbors, unlike the street I passed through to prayer, and entering homes to meet mothers and sisters, and the prayers of grandmothers that linger in your ears throughout the first day all of this we lost in refugee areas. Then, gathering at home to drink morning tea with the family and exchanging sweets and pastries with neighbors. As for the sacrifice, it has special rituals in Sudan, starting from the slaughtering process and exchanging piles of meat between neighbors, gathering to eat breakfast in the traditional Sudanese way, which includes shiy (grilled meat), marara (intestines), sharbot (a sweet drink), tea, and coffee. In exile, we missed the smells of grilled meat in every corner of the neighborhood. After breakfast, we missed visiting family to celebrate Eid. However, when night falls, this tradition is repeated for four days. Here in refugee areas, Eid ends with the end of prayer, no sacrifice, no grilling. The least we can do is bring a small amount of meat to bring joy to the family.

There are citizens who remain steadfast, holding on to their homes and refusing to be displaced. The third Eid is passing for them while they are still in their homes. Citizen Nawal Ahmed Al-Khair, who chose to stay and remained steadfast in Khartoum, said that despite the suffering and occasional power and water outages, the taste of Eid is beautiful inside the home, surrounded by family and neighbors. Due to the high prices of sacrifices and their unavailability, most citizens were unable to buy them. However, the solidarity and compassion derived from the teachings of Islam, which is one of the most distinctive features of the Sudanese people, remained the guiding principle among family and neighbors during all Eid celebrations and occasions. We did not feel the need or deprivation, and we received gifts of meat in quantities that met our needs and more. On a positive note, the state of Khartoum, with its three cities, witnessed a state of security and stability. This year's Eid was different from previous ones, and we hope that security and safety will prevail across the country, and all displaced and refugees will return to their homes.

Despite the harsh circumstances faced by the Sudanese people at all levels, including displacement, hardship, looting, and plundering, they have confronted them with patience and steadfastness. They have managed to adapt to new communities with their diverse cultures, customs, and traditions. However, the flavor and rituals of Eid remain etched in their collective memory. The love for one's homeland, regardless of changing places and times, is a deep-seated feeling that cannot be satiated by anything else. For every individual, their homeland is a debt, a duty, and a right that remains due.

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