Muslims across Bosnia and Herzegovina are celebrating Eid al-Adha or the ‘Festival of Sacrifice' on Tuesday and in his morning sermon marking the holiday, the head of Bosnia's Islamic Community urged followers to stand for a country of equal people and reject violence and injustice committed against any person.

Eid al-Adha, in Bosnia called Kurban Bayram, is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year, with Eid al-Fitr being the other.

It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God sent a lamb to be sacrificed instead.

Muslims mark this intervention by killing a sheep and dividing it into three parts – one to keep for home, one to give to relatives and the third to the poor.

Men attended the early morning prayer in mosques throughout Bosnia with the khutbah held at Sarajevo’s biggest mosque being broadcasted live on TV. Muslims who stay home listen to the traditional speech delivered by Islamic leaders in Bosnia, who usually address a contemporary social problem.

The central Eid prayer in Sarajevo took place at the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque.

In his sermon, the Head of Bosnia’s Islamic Community, Husein Kavazovic, called on Muslims to reject violence and injustice committed against any person, whoever it may be.

He urged his followers to work on creating a country where all people will be equal, regardless of the differences among them, and to not follow leaders who advocate division.

“We cannot agree with violence and injustice toward people, whoever they are,” the religious leader said.

“Today, our Eid joy merges with Prijedor’s sorrow and pain,” he said, referring to the fact that a collective funeral for 12 victims of the 1992-95 war crimes committed in the northwestern town is taking place on the same day.

The religious leader said that Eid should be a time when we “strengthen our connections and revive our old friendships, and make new ones.”

However, he also noted that “it is no longer peaceful at our borders.”

“Evil people are getting louder, more determined and are getting closer. Do not underestimate the lessons from our recent past. Bad pupils must learn the same lesson again,” he said.

“It is the destiny of people to believe and think differently, but it is also their destiny to live together, work together and exchange goods that they acquire in peace among each other,” he said.