LATEST EVENTS

Eid al-Adha

All Seder Group employee will have almost a week of from November 28 to December 5, 2008 to celebrate Eid Al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha "Festival of Sacrifice" is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims (including the Druze) worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. However, God provided a ram in place once Ibrahim demonstrated his willingness to follow God's commands.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran.[1] (Muslims in Iran celebrate a third, non-denominational Eid.) Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khutba).

Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Four thousand years ago the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife's servant, Hagar (Hajira) and their child Ismael to Arabia from Palestine by Allah's command, as his first wife Sarah started to get jealous after Hagar got her baby.

With some supplies of food and water he left them without wanting, his wife Hagar asked him: "Who ordered you to leave us here", Ibrahim replied :"Allah", she said: "than Allah will not forget us, you can go". However the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days Hagar and Ismael were suffering from hunger and dehydration.

In her desperation Hagar ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside her baby Ismael and prayed to Allah for deliverance.

Ismael struck his foot on the ground and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. Hagar and Ismael were saved. Now they had a secure water supply they were able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.

After a while the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Palestine to check on his family and he was amazed to see them running a profitable well.

The Prophet Ibrahim was told by Allah to build a shrine dedicated to him. Ibrahim and Ismael constructed a small stone structure – the Kaaba - which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in Allah.

As the years passed Ismael was blessed with Prophethood and he gave the nomads of the desert the message of surrender to Allah.

After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zam Zam.

In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammad set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers. This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.

Head Office New Building

We would like to welcome you to our new Head Office building, it is located next to our old building. Starting November 11, 2008 all business transaction will be made in our new building.

Ramadan karim

Ramadan holiday will be held from September, 29 to October 3, 2008. During this period all Seder Group employee will have their holiday off.

Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from true dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience, sacrifice and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

The name "Ramadan" is the name of the ninth month; the word itself derived from an Arabic root rmd, as in words like "ramida" or "ar-ramad" denoting intense heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations. It is the most venerated month of the Islamic year. Prayers, fasting, charity and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Rama??n are kept throughout the month.

Laylat al-Qadr, considered the most holy night of the year, is the night in which the Qur'an was revealed to Muhammed, the Night of the Power[1]. Muslims believe it to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, either the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th (in Sunni thought) or the 19th, 21st or 23rd (in Shi'a thought). Rama??n ends with Eid ul-Fitr, with much celebration and feasts. During the month following Rama??n, called Shawwal, Muslims are encouraged to fast for a further six days, known as as-Sitta al-Bayd, or "the white six."