15th Anniversary of the 9/11 attack on New York

SEPTEMBER 11 this year falls on a Sunday and is already being marked in the USA today, September 9 as many business will be closed over the weekend and they wanted to remember the 15th Anniversary of the tragic 9/11 which saw the horrendous attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and subsequent death of so many.

The New York Stock Exchange held a moment of silence and there was a formal tribute in front of the White House whilst Vice President Joe Biden will give a speech of tribute to first responders who died that day whilst attending an NFL American Football match in Philadelphia and Hilary Clinton will visit ‘ground zero’.

Whilst the whole of America and much of the western world will remember those who perished, there was almost a divine intervention which ensured that one of Islam’s most holy days didn’t fall on September 11 this year.

Eid al-Adha commemorates the day when the prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead. Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means “festival of the sacrifice” and by tradition falls on the 10th day after the full moon which was due on September 1, meaning that the holy day would be celebrated throughout the Muslim world on September 11.

Whether recognising the possibly controversy if this was the case, or just by pure coincidence, the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia declared that as the moon was obscured by clouds on September 1 but could be seen the following night then Eid al-Adha would take place on September 12 in the middle of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

It seems incredible that it is now 15 years since this terrible attack on New York took place, but unfortunately, terrorism of types still strikes around the world.