Muslims in Madagascar Celebrate Eid with Morning Prayers in Unity In Madagascar, an East African island nation, Muslims gathered shoulder to shoulder in mosques and open fields to celebrate Eid al-Adha with communal prayer.
From the young to the old, thousands assembled early in the morning at local mosques and public squares across the country to mark the sacred occasion.
In the village of Murafey, 80 kilometers from Mahajanga, residents arrived with the first light of day, preparing their hearts and space for the Eid prayer.
In a heartfelt scene, Muslims in a small village in Madagascar swept the mosque’s courtyard and carefully laid carpets to welcome Eid al-Adha.
They were joined by Professor Fatih Koca from Ankara University’s Faculty of Theology and TDV volunteer, as well as Aykut Burak Şimşek, TDV’s Corporate Communications Coordinator.
Together with the villagers, they stood shoulder to shoulder and offered the Eid prayer in unity and peace.
Before the prayer, Koca recited verses from the holy Qur’an and sang Ilahis (religious hymns), moving both the men inside the mosque and the women praying in the courtyard.
He stated that on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, they made Dua for all Muslims in Gaza, Palestine, Myanmar, and East Turkestan.
Koca added that they came to Madagascar this year as part of TDV’s Qurbani meat distribution program and said:
“In Marufey village near Mahajanga, we celebrated Eid with our Muslim brothers and sisters through TDV’s Qurbani program.
The local imam thanked Türkiye and asked me to recite the holy Qur’an. Later, I sang an Arabic ilahi and to my surprise, everyone joined in.
An unforgettable, emotional moment of unity and joy, thousands of kilometers from home.”
As part of the TDV’s Qurbani (Eid al-Adha) program, Süleyman Melikoğlu, the Mufti of Gölbaşı in Adıyaman, led the Eid prayer in Ananalava. After the prayer, worshippers embraced and exchanged Eid greetings with one another.
