We've reported last Thursday (August 16) that the Amiri Diwan has announced August 19-26 as the official Eid Al Adha 2018 holidays for ministries and other government entities and public institutions in Qatar.
Also announced in the official circular is the date of return of government employees to work which is on the 27th of the current month. This means that the total number of holidays for the second Eid of 2018 will total to 10 long days and tomorrow (August 21) is set to be the first day of the Eid Al Adha celebrations.
With this much days intended for the second most important festival in the Islamic calendar, preparations are in full swing especially now that Qatar is officially only a day away from the formal arrival of the most-awaited occasion.
We've posted a related article a week ago but listed below are some of the latest Eid Al Adha (to know more about Eid Al Adha, click here) updates and preparations going on in Qatar at the moment:
The Amiri Diwan announced that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will receive well-wishers on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Adha at Al Wajbah Palace on the first day of the Eid, following the below timings:
The Qatar News Agency reported that the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) has prepared 368 mosques and prayer grounds in various areas of the country for the blessed Eid Al Adha prayer, including 70 mosques and prayer grounds with places reserved for women.
The Ministry also announced that Eid Al Adha prayers will be performed at 5:25AM.
Widam Food Company is providing over 50,000 sacrificial animals to meet the demand from citizens and expatriates during Eid Al Adha. The company has made special arrangement to handle the crowds at abattoirs and outlets.
“Various types of sacrificial animals are available at Widam outlets at reasonable prices. The company is providing over 50,000 sacrificial animals during this Eid,” Widam CEO told The Peninsula. He added that the company has imported Armenian sheep ahead of Eid this year to increase the variety and is expecting a shipment carrying Sudanese sheep.
Moreover, Widam has coordinated with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to provide more veterinary doctors to check the slaughtered animals and has deployed over 350 workers at abattoirs.
Major hypermarkets across the country have stocked up their shelves with various food and non-food items, many of which bear the ‘Made in Qatar’ label as stores gear up for the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday. The market has witnessed a growth in the variety of food and non-food items produced in Qatar since the unjust blockade was imposed, according to LuLu Hypermarket's general manager.
He added that while LuLu has increased the volume of its imports from international suppliers, the hypermarket has always prioritized ‘Made in Qatar’ products displayed on its shelves. "LuLu has brought in all types of products in anticipation of the Eid rush," the general manager continued.
The Vegetable and Fruits market at Doha Central Market has seen an increasing turnout of customers ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha, with many affirming that prices are stable and supply is adequate.
Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported on Friday (August 16) that the supply of various types of vegetables and fruits from different countries is on daily basis. Besides, the local produce of various types including leafy vegetables has helped reduce and stabilize prices of various types of goods. All the different varieties of vegetables and fruits, including watermelon and sweet melons, are available fresh in the market during the morning hours.
Moderate eating habit is key to safe and healthy Eid Al Adha holidays, especially for individuals with chronic medical conditions, said a Senior Clinical Dietician at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
Most of traditional food prepared during Eid celebrations are high in fat, salt, and sugar. The health official also pointed out that overconsuming sweets and other highly-processed carbohydrates can be dangerous.
"While weight gain, indigestion, heartburn, and abdominal bloating are the usual discomforts associated with overeating in a person of general good health, overindulging can have serious consequences for those with existing health problems."
“Overeating during Eid feasts is unfortunately very common. It can be challenging to say no to a gracious host; however, consuming large quantities of food and drink can have serious consequences for individuals who have chronic conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes."
In accordance to HMC's plea, all emergency and inpatient services across HMC’s and Hamad General Hospital Emergency Department's network of hospitals will operate as usual, 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week during the upcoming Eid Al Adha holidays.
Mowasalat (Karwa) has announced that a number of public bus routes will have extended operating hours, until 1am, from August 21 to 23 in view of the upcoming Eid al-Adha.
This comes within the framework of the company’s preparations for Eid al-Adha, it has said in a press statement. “Mowasalat is gearing up, in collaboration with the competent authorities, to provide its services round the clock during the upcoming Eid al-Adha,” the statement notes. The bus routes that will operate until 1am on the three above-mentioned dates are 10, 11, 12, 21, 31, 32, 33, 33A, 34, 40, 41, 43, 49, 55, 56, 57, 76, 94, 102X, 104B, 109, 129, 156, 107A, 301, 304 and 777, they said.
Shopping malls taking part in the ongoing Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) are expected to attract huge crowds this Eid Al Adha with entertainment offerings lined up for the entire family.
Mall-goers can look forward to a number of shows which will rotate around the participating malls including Al Khor Mall, Al Mirqab Mall, B Square Mall, Dar Al Salam Mall, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Landmark Mall, Lagoona Mall and Mall of Qatar from the first to the fifth day of Eid.
The shows include Peter Pan’s Adventure, Levitation Man, Superheroes: Live Avengers Doubles, Characters from Frozen, The Roaming Robots, and Qatar Traditional Dance.
Apart from the rotating shows, the malls have also prepared their own unique shows presented several times every day as well as activities for children. Mall of Qatar has SquarePants Live Show, which will start the day before Eid Al Adha, Al Rayyan TV Live Show and Spirit Kids Choir.
For more mall Eid Al Adha activities, read further here.
The Summer Entertainment City (SEC) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre is again set to welcome a large number of visitors this weekend and throughout the Eid al-Adha holidays, it is learnt.
Speaking to Gulf Times, a QSports founder and board member said they have lined up a series of cultural and entertainment performances, as well as children’s shows and activities at SEC from Friday. “It’s always very busy during the Eid holidays (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) and we are estimating between 30,000 and 35,000 visitors in the last 10 days (August 21 to 31),” he noted.
Part of the programme this weekend includes roaming shows and a cultural performance on stage sponsored by the Nigerian embassy in Doha, he noted. “We will make the last 10 days as exciting as possible, in partnership with QTA, which is also trying to put in some shows."
As Eid Al Adha is just around the corner, residents as well as government entities are giving final touches to their preparations to celebrate the festival with traditional fervor.
Taha, an Egyptian expatriate at the Mall of Qatar said: “Discounts and offers have made shopping more exciting and affordable throughout this summer. We are able to buy gifts availing amazing offers. Shopping for Eid Al Adha has become more easy with the choices of sales on different brands we have in almost all of the malls.”
Besides availing numerous promotional offers, visitors are also relishing different colourful activities taking place at various shopping centres and malls across Qatar.
Msheireb Museums, the cultural destination at Msheireb Downtown Doha, will open its doors to visitors and guests from the second day of the Eid Al Adha holiday. It will welcome visitors, art connoisseurs and researchers of heritage and history starting from Wednesday. The working hours will be from 3pm during Eid. The museum will be closed on Tuesday, the first day of Eid Al Adha.
We'll be updating this list every now and then so make sure to always stay tuned to our website for the latest Eid Al Adha news and updates!
For the full list of Eid Al Adha activities in Qatar, click here.
How are you planning to welcome the first day of Eid Al Adha tomorrow? Do you think Qatar's preparations are enough for a safe celebration of the festival? Drop us a line in the comments below and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!
(Cover image courtesy of asergeev.com)
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