MOSCOW, November 27 (RIA Novosti) - Muslims...

Authorities of eight Russian regions with a prevailing Muslim population - Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkariya, Karachai-Circassia and Adygea - have declared Friday a holiday.

Eid al-Adha comes the day after the pilgrims on Hajj, the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, descend from Mount Arafat.

The Festival of Sacrifice is a three-day holiday in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim"s readiness to sacrifice his first born son Ishmael on Allah"s orders.

Nowadays, the holiday celebrates commitment, obedience and self-sacrifice in the name of Allah. All Islamic followers, who can afford it, should kill an animal as a symbol of Ibrahim"s sacrifice, and its meat is then equally distributed among family, friends and the poor.