REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NEW YORK - The Muslim community, including the Indonesian Muslim community residing in New York, United States, celebrating Eid al-Adha 1431 H local time on Tuesday. Eid al-Adha prayers on Tuesday was held at Masjid Al-Hikmah, ie the only mosque in New York that is managed by the Indonesian community.

Prayers are followed by at least 300 people were led by Muslim leaders of Indonesia and is one of America's leading imams, Ali Shams. Islamic cultural center in New York, the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) located in downtown New York City, Manhattan, also organizes Eid al-Adha prayers on Tuesday.

ICC is the largest cultural institution in New York and is always flooded with Muslims from various nations who live in New York, especially when the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Therefore, to give opportunity to the Muslim community, the ICC held in New York on Tuesday Eid al-Adha prayers in three phases, namely at 08.00, 09.00 and 10.00 local time.

The number of Muslims in the United States estimated at more than five million people and about 800,000 of whom live in New York. Unlike last year, this year's Eid al-Adha is celebrated on a weekday. In 2009, Hari Raya Aidil Adha, a holiday falls on Thanksgiving.

Sacrifice

Shams Ali who is also the Chairman of the Board of Masjid Al-Hikmah, in addition to lead the prayer Id also preached a sermon on Tuesday the Feast of the Sacrifice with calls on Muslims to continue to explore various aspects behind the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim AS to Allah SWT to slaughter his son, Prophet Ismail AS

Shams convey, sacrifice is not only about the sincerity or compliance because there are still many aspects that need to be studied by Muslims from the journey of life and the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim. Reminded that the sacrifice is the process to find the truth.

"The Prophet Abraham struggled to get guidance from God. Do not think easy. No guidance is free, must be fought for," said Shams.

Another example of that can be taken from the Prophet Ibrahim, he said, among other things, that the prophet has a wit, intelligence and diplomatic skill in getting people in her time to think about
greatness of God. "We need to continue to sharpen our thinking in order to better understand the greatness of God," he said.

Having thought of a democratic, also indicated that Abraham asked the Prophet Ismail's first opinion regarding his desire to follow God's command to slaughter his own son. "Do not forget, we need to hear other people's opinions even if we feel 100 percent confident that we are on the right side," the message.

Finally, Shams reminded of why Muslims should be sacrificed in earnest. "Since these are the necessities of life ... (need) to face the challenges of life," he said.

Source:www.republika.co.id