The Festival of Sacrifice
Eid al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice made by the prophet Abraham. Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but instead, was given a ram. Each year, Eid al-Ahda is celebrated as a reminder of the importance of sacrifice and devotion to Allah.
Significance of Timing
Eid al-Ahda is celebrated on the tenth day of the twelfth month on the Islamic calendar. This day is always a day after the completion of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
Daily life during Eid al-Adha
The festival will last between two to four days, depending on the country. The celebration will begin with a communal prayer at daybreak.
Eid al-Adha 1438 AH by Milad Rafat is licensed under CC-BY 4.0.
Following the morning prayer, the animal sacrifice is made. Muslims will sacrifice sheep, goats, and other farm animals and divide the meat into three parts. One is kept for the family, one if given to relatives, and one is given to the poor. In countries where it is not common or legal to sacrifice, groups of Muslims will purchase a whole carcass from a butcher and divide it amongst themselves.
The rest of the festival is spent with family members, wearing new clothes and receiving gifts. Children will take the day off from school, including college students. Children make party hats and masks. A majority of Muslims will attend special prayers held at different major mosques and Islamic centers.
Muslim girls at Istiqlal Mosque jakarta by Henrik Hansson is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Eid al-Ahda: an explanation
Gulevich, T. (2004). Section Three: Calendar System, Holidays, and Other Days of Observance. In Understanding Islam and Muslim traditions: An introduction to the religious practices, celebrations, festivals, observances, beliefs, folklore, customs, and calendar system of the world's Muslim communities, including an overview of Islamic history and geography (pp. 249–370). essay, Omnigraphics.
Harvard University. (n.d.). Pilgrimage and eid al-adha. The Pluralism Project. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://pluralism.org/pilgrimage-and-eid-al-adha.
Islamic Holidays and Festivals. ReligionFacts. (2021, March 8). Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://religionfacts.com/holidays.
Peppas, L. (2013). Cultural traditions in Egypt. Crabtree Pub. Company.
Harvard University. (n.d.). Pilgrimage and eid al-adha. The Pluralism Project. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://pluralism.org/pilgrimage-and-eid-al-adha.
Islamic Holidays and Festivals. ReligionFacts. (2021, March 8). Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://religionfacts.com/holidays.
Peppas, L. (2013). Cultural traditions in Egypt. Crabtree Pub. Company.