IDUL ADHA CELEBRATION AT AL AZHAR MOSQUE

Jakarta, Dec 8 (ANTARA) - At 6 a.m on Monday there were almost no traffic jams on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Jakarta.

Morning activities on Monday for Moslems in South Jakarta were centered at Al Azhar Mosque. The mosque held the prayers of Idul Adha prayers, Moslem's second biggest holiday, at about 7 a.m.

Men and women of all ages had started to come to the field in the mosque premises almost an hour before the prayers. Babies and toddlers were not left at homes.

Parents took them to the mosque along with their carriages, bottles and toys. This Monday was one of those special days when babies and toddlers were taken out to celebrate Idul Adha.

At about 7 a.m., the prayers led by Mochtar Ibnu, one of the mosque's imams, took place. A religious speech by State Minister of Youth and Sports Adhyaksa Dault then took place focusing on the needs of sacrifice for the sake of ummah's glory.

"Have we ever really sacrificed in God's way? How much have we put our energy, time and thoughts in God's way?" Dault said.

In the present days, he said, Moslem's sacrifice was dislocation. "We need to redefine and reorient the meaning of sacrifice, so there will not need to be dislocation".

"Sacrifice is a form of our worship to God. When we worship God, it should be total and really according to the regulations and all the requirements," he said.

After performing the prayers, the mosque's organizing committee for the Idul Adha celebration slaughtered more than a thousand goats and a number of cows. The meat was distributed to the needy people.

This year, there were about 69 cows and 1,374 goats slaughtered on Monday and Tuesday.

Many people waited in a long line outside the mosque's area to get the meat even when the goats and cows had not been slaughtered yet.