The Meaning of the Festival

Last June 6 marked the beginning of the Islamic holidays of Eid al-Adha, known in Turkey as Kurban Bayram (the Festival of Sacrifice). It commemorates Abraham's faith and his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as proof of his surrender to God. To be worthy of standing before the God of mercy and clemency implies an act of generosity. Such is the meaning of animal sacrifice, performed within Muslim families, even for the benefit of the poor.

Traditionally, the festival of Eid al-Adha coincides with the conclusion of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holy sites in Saudi Arabia: one of the pillars of faith for the followers of the Prophet Muhammad, a commitment to be fulfilled, if possible, at least once in a lifetime, in the month of Dhu l-Hijjah. These festive moments are not simply expressions of the heart of a faith, but represent an essential moment in the social life of a people, with important political and economic implications. According to initial official data provided by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (türsab), from May 9 (the departure date of the first national pilgrimage) to May 31 (the last official departure), 84,942 Turkish citizens set out on a journey to Mecca (for some caravans, combined with a visit to Medina, the city of the Prophet).

Of these pilgrims, 51.5% were women and 48.5% men, while the average age of pilgrims was around 60. These figures are highly significant because, globally, the presence of male pilgrims tends to outnumber that of females. This is due to various cultural, social, and practical factors, although in recent years there have been steps toward greater female participation. Regarding the average age of pilgrims, again on a global scale, it can vary considerably, but generally hovers around 40-50. Of course, there are pilgrims of all ages, from the young to the very old, and the number of the latter is increasing, thanks to improvements in health, available services (although the pilgrimage, due to the climate and the inconvenience of overcrowding, requires considerable physical effort), and evidence of a greater spiritual motivation compared to the increasingly secularized younger generations. Finally, the economic factor should not be underestimated in these considerations.

Although it is very difficult to provide precise statistics (prices depend on the country of departure, the service provider, and the level of accommodation chosen), rates in 2025 ranged from $3,000 to $7,000 for the cheapest package, $8,000 to $10,000 for the mid-range offering, and starting at $11,000 for the high-end offering. These figures generally included the return flight and entry visa to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage only, full board for the five main ritual days in Mecca, local transportation, the services of a guide, and minimal health insurance. These figures, even at the low end, correspond to no less than three months' average salary in Turkey: a significant financial strain, especially in these particularly difficult times, which forces one to dip into savings or rely on family support.

Meanwhile, Tayyip Erdoğan, in his Eid al-Adha message to the nation, took the opportunity to polemicize with the opposition CHP party, which has decided not to join other political parties for these holidays, for reasons easily discernible in these months of bitter institutional conflict. The Turkish leader, with his usual rhetoric, addressed his 86 million compatriots directly, recalling the spiritual meaning of the Islamic holiday, reverberated by thousands of billboards: "Adımız kardeşlik, soyadımız Türkiye’dir": "Our name is brotherhood, our surname is Turkey."


NP June 2025
Claudio Monge