-RABAT, MOROCCO - JUNE 5, 2025: Morocco has closed livestock markets and temporarily suspended all trade related to sacrificial animals ahead of Eid al-Adha due to drought and financial challenges. These factors have led to a sharp decline in the availability of sacrificial animals, causing price hikes. King Mohammed VI said he would perform the religious obligation on behalf of all Moroccans, pointing out the financial hardship the tradition may place on low-income families. Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca or Hajj, during which Muslims slaughter goats, sheep and other animals. The Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith which must be performed by all Muslims if financially viable at least once in their lives. It includes several rituals meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.