宰牲節 (Eid al-Adha) 快樂！宰牲節是穆斯林的重要節日，象徵犧牲奉獻的精神。世界各地的伊斯蘭教徒會在宰牲節這一天挑選獻祭的動物，象徵性地提醒人們一生中所需的真正奉獻。在美國，伊斯蘭教是第三大宗教，僅次於基督教和猶太教。數據顯示，目前有超過350萬民穆斯林住在美國，相當於美國總人口的1.1%。
而在台灣，台北印尼穆斯林社群去年此時在台北車站外進行宰牲節禮拜，同時不忘保持安全距離。然而今年由於疫情緣故，宰牲節只能在家或在線上慶祝。台灣持續擴大穆斯林友善環境，未來若是防疫限制解除，住在台灣或來台灣拜訪的穆斯林社群，將能使用火車站、圖書館和旅遊景點等公共場所新設置的祈禱室。而且你知道嗎？2020年8月時，台北市北投健康管理醫院也成為台灣第二家取得清真認證的醫療機構！更多台灣促進宗教自由的進展和努力請參考美國國務院「台灣 2020 年國際宗教自由報告」: https://bit.ly/3kAsscL 。
Happy Eid al-Adha, the Festival of the Sacrifice. Many Muslims around the world sacrifice an animal on this day as a symbolic reminder of the real sacrifice required throughout life. In the United States, Islam is now the third largest religion, after Christianity and Judaism. It is estimated that over 3.5 million Muslims live in the United States, about 1.1 percent of the total U.S. population.
In Taiwan last year, members of Taipei’s Indonesian Muslim community gathered safely outside Taipei Main Station for Eid-al Adha prayers. However, this year the holy day will have to be celebrated from home or online. When pandemic restrictions lift, Muslims living in or visiting Taiwan can take advantage of expanded prayer rooms in public places such as train stations, libraries, and tourist destinations Did you know, in August 2020 Taipei Beitou Health Management Hospital became the second halal-certified medical facility in Taiwan? For more information about Taiwan’s efforts to promote religious freedom check out Taiwan’s section in the 2020 International Religious Freedom Report: https://bit.ly/3eC4mKL.
