Eid al-Adha meaning "Festival of the Sacrifice", also called the Feast of the Sacrifice.
It is the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of submission to Allah swt (God) command. As Ibrahim was about to sacrifice Ismail, Allah swt intervened and provided Abraham with a lamb to sacrifice instead of Ismail.
Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dul-Hijjah (the day after Day of Arafat) and lasts for four days. In the international Gregorian calendar the dates vary every year, falling approximately 11 days earlier each year.
Eid al-Adha is the latter of the two Eid holidays, the former being Eid al-Fitr, which is celebrated at the end of Ramadan.
Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Sunnah prayer of two rakats followed by a sermon (khutbah).
Eid celebrations see gatherings of family and friends. Sharing meals, especially lunches and breakfasts. Wearing new clothes and using perfumes. Eid celebrations are an occasion when past quarrels and enmity is put aside with families and friends making up and renewing their friendship and blood ties.
Eid observance is firstly Eid Prayers. Then sacrifice of a healthy well fed animal, usually, a sheep, cow, goat, buffalo or camel. Donating one-third of the sacrificed meat to friends and neighbours and donating one-third or more of the sacrifice meat to the poor and needy.
Eid Mubarak Ya Ummah
Shafique M.B. Azam
UK
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