Eid al Adha: Understanding the Festival of Sacrifice in Islam

Eid al-Adha marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim علیہ السلام‘s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael علیہ السلام. Muslims worldwide celebrate the holiday with prayers, charity, and feasting. Eid al-Fitr, on the other hand, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the breaking of the fast.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. The date of the holiday varies each year, as it is based on the sighting of the crescent moon.

 

Eid al Adha is celebrated with prayers, feasting, and charity. Muslims worldwide prepare for the holiday by cleaning their homes, buying new clothes, and decorating their houses. On the day of Eid, Muslims attend morning prayers, after which they perform the sacrifice of an animal, usually a goat, sheep, or cow. The meat is divided into three parts, one for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy.