Kurban Bayrami

The most important religious holiday of the year, Kurban Bayrami (Festival of the sacrifice) is equivalent in importance to Christmas in Christian countries. This four-day Islamic holiday commemorates Ibrahim's near-sacriface of Ismael on Mt. Moriah about which the Koran tells. This is actually the same story as the biblical episode of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. It also marks the season of pilgrimage to Mecca.

Usually, an animal is sacrificed on this day to symbolize Allah's allowing Ibrahim to sacrifice a ram instead of his son as a reward for his demonstration of obedience. Every year around 4 million rams or cows are sacrificed for Kurban Bayrami and every head of a household who can afford to, buys a beast to sacrifice. Immediately after early morning prayers on the first day of the holiday the head of the family slits the animal’s throat. It’s then flayed and butchered, and family and friends prepare to the needy, and the skin is donated to a charity, which then sells it to a leather products company. At Kurban Bayrami banks usually close for a full week, though one or two branches will stay open in the big cities to serve foreigners. Transportation is packed, and hotel rooms, particularly in resort areas, are scarce and expensive.