He talked about the great dilemma of Muslims about living in the modern world. "We have to preserve the values that we have accepted as Europeans and Muslims".

Grabus said that the time of Eid al-Adha was a blessed period when Muslims were thinking about the fundamental values of human life. "It has a strong symbolism, which reminds and warns us about the human transience and the permanence of the values people who settled in Mecca build their lives on".

The mufti warned against the thinking that material security fulfils one's life, adding that a human needed spirituality which strengthened faith, and religiousness which was calming and which inspired an individual to make good deeds.

"Today we are witnessing tragi-comical abuse of faith, which is actually frequently the exact opposite to true religiousness," Grabus said, adding that Muslims needed to take a stronger stance against the "degradation of our faith to mere formalities".

He argued that the values accepted by Slovenian Muslims as Europeans was what "makes us special in the environment we live in", adding that the most important task was to work on personal development, get rid of bad thoughts and stay open and happy about the world and life.

Besides Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month Ramadan, Eid al-Adha is the second Muslim holidays celebrated worldwide each year, and considered the holier of the two.

It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismaeel, as an act of obedience to God's command.

Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the descent of the pilgrims performing the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca from Mount Arafat, a hill east of Mecca.

This year, 27 Muslims from Slovenia made the trip to Mecca, according to the Islamic Community in Slovenia.

Eid al-Adha prayers were also held today in other Slovenian cities and towns with sizeable Muslim communities, while the main one is traditionally being held in Kodeljevo Arena in Ljubljana.

This year's ceremony could be the last one there as the Islamic Community in Slovenia hopes that it will be held next year in the emerging Islamic Religious and Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, which includes the first-ever mosque in Slovenia.