President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslim nations to make efforts to restore peace and security to crisis-hit Muslim countries and expressed hope that co-religionists would show “the beautiful face” of their religion to the world. In separate messages on Thursday, the president congratulated heads of state in Muslim countries on Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s major festivals celebrated annually around the world and an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries, Tasnim News Agency reported. “On the eve of this blessed Eid, I hope that by receiving the unlimited divine mercy, and with the efforts of all Islamic governments and thinkers, we will restore peace and tranquility to Islamic countries,” he said. In the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha occurs on the 10th day of Dhu al Hajjah and marks a key event of hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. For Muslims, Eid al-Adha commemorates the day when Prophet Abraham (PBUH) received the divine command to sacrifice his son but upon witnessing his true devotion, he was instructed by God to offer an animal instead. Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means “festival of the sacrifice”.
