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Eid el Adha is a Muslim holiday that commemorates Abraham's decision to sacrifice a sheep in place of his son Isaac. It is marked by the killing and eating of sheep. On this one day, over 250,000,000 sheep are killed throughout the Muslim world. (Large families sometimes kill and eat a camel instead of a sheep.)
It is traditional to give a quarter of the sheep to the poor, to eat a quarter on the day, and to preserve the rest for eating later.
People buy their sheep weeks in advance and fatten them up. You will often see children taking their sheep for walks around their neighbourhoods.
Ali Gibril's family in Tripoli always celebrated Eid al Adha in the traditional manner.
Two of Ali and Fatma's children taking care of the sheep in the days leading up to the holiday
Ali cutting the sheep's throat
Note: Sheep seem to accept their fate and die quickly and quietly. Killing a camel is a much noisier, more difficult and more upsetting matter.
The children watch as the sheep bleeds to death
Ali cuts a nick in the leg and blows into it to separate the fleece from the carcass
Two of Ali's sons dress the carcass
Strips of the meat are hung on clotheslines to dry
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Note: In Libya the dried meat is put into pots of olive oil and may be left to soak for several months before being taken out and used in cooking.
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