High-ranking officials were present at the celebration, including President Sadyr Japarov, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh Marlen Mamataliyev, Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev, and the Mayor of the capital, Aibek Junushaliev. The reading of the Quran took place at the Old Square.
After the reading of the Quran, sermons followed, and then the Supreme Mufti of Kyrgyzstan explained the procedure for performing the Ait prayer. The believers were reminded of the importance of intention (niyat), the number of rakats, additional takbirs, and the necessity of unity in prayer.
Upon completion of the explanations, the believers began the collective Ait prayer.
After the prayer, participants exchanged greetings for the holiday and dispersed.
Main Aspects of the Ait Prayer
The Ait prayer, also known as Eid prayer, is a collective prayer performed by Muslims on the holidays of Orozo Ait and Kurman Ait. The time and place for the prayer are determined by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan.
The festive prayer begins 30 minutes after sunrise and ends with the arrival of the noon prayer. In Islam, there are four madhhabs: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali. For the Hanbali and Hanafi madhhabs, the Ait prayer is obligatory, while in the Shafi'i and Maliki madhhabs, it is considered a Sunnah, meaning a desirable action.
Travelers and women are exempt from participating in the festive prayer; however, they may attend if they wish. If someone misses the Ait prayer, it is recommended according to the Shafi'i madhhab to make it up, and the sooner, the better, although there are no strict deadlines. According to the Hanafi madhhab, if the prayer is missed, it should not be made up on the same day, but it can be done the next day.
On the days of the Ait prayer, it is especially recommended to follow customs, just as on Fridays: taking a shower, using perfumes, wearing the best clothes, and arriving for prayer early. On the day of Orozo Ait, it is advisable to eat something before going to the prayer, preferably an odd number of dates.
