Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā; English pronunciation: /ˌiːd ʌl ˈædə/, Arabic: Arabic pronunciation: [ʕiːd al ʔadˁˈħɑː]) or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead.^[1] The meat is divided into three parts. The family retains one third of the share; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the other third is given to the poor and needy.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes fromSura 2 (Al-Baqara) Ayah 196 in the Qur'an. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Wajibprayer of two Raka'ah (units) followed by a sermon (khuṭbah).

The word "Eid" appears in Sura al-Mai'da ("The Table Spread," Chapter 5) of the Qur'an, meaning 'solemn festival'.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr. Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Other names

Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the annual Hajj is completed in Mecca.

The Arabic term "Festival of Sacrifice", ‘Eid ul-’Aḍḥā, is similar to the Semitic roots that evolved into Indic languages such asHindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Bengali and Austronesian languagessuch as Malay and Indonesian (the last often spelling it as Idul Adha or Iduladha).

Another Semitic word for "sacrifice" is the Arabic Qurbān(Arabic: قربان‎), which is used in Dari Persian and Standard Persian as Eyde Ghorbân عید قربان, and in Tajik Persian as Иди Қурбон (Idi Qurbon), into Kazakh as Құрбан айт (Qurban ayt), into Uyghur as Qurban Heyit, and also into various Indic languages. Other languages combined the Arabic word qurbānwith local terms for "festival", as in Kurdish (Cejna Qurbanê),Pashto (Kurbaneyy Akhtar), Chinese (古尔邦节 Gúěrbāng Jié), Malay and Indonesian (Hari Raya Korban, Qurbani), andTurkish (Kurban Bayramı). The Turkish term was later used in other languages such as Azeri (Qurban Bayramı), Tatar(Qorban Bäyräme), Bosnian, Albanian(Kurban Bajram) andCroatian (Kurban-bajram), Serbian (Курбан бајрам), Russian(Курбан-байрам), (Bakray wari Eid) in Sindhi.

Another Arabic name, ‘Īd ul-Kabīr (عيد الكبير `Īd al-Kabīr), meaning "Greater Eid/Festival" (the "Lesser Eid" being Eid ul-Fitr), is used in Yemen, Syria, and North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt). The term was borrowed directly into French as Aïd el-Kebir. Translations of "Big Eid" or "Greater Eid" are used in Pashto لوی اختر Loy Akhtar, Kashmiri Baed Eid, Hindi and Urdu Baṛā Īd, Malayalam Bali Perunnal, and Tamil Peru Nāl.

Another name refers to the fact that the holiday occurs after the culmination of the Hajj (حج), or pilgrimage to Mecca (Makka). Such names are used in Malay and Indonesian (Hari Raya Haji "Hajj celebration day",Lebaran Haji), and in Tamil Hajji Peru Nāl.

In Urdu-speaking areas, the festival is also called بقرعید Baqra Īd or Baqrī Īd, stemming either from the Arabic baqarah "heifer" or the Urdu word baqrī for "goat", as cows and goats are among the traditionally sacrificed animals. That term was also borrowed into other languages, such as Tamil Bakr Eid Peru Nāl.

Other local names include 宰牲节 Zǎishēng Jié ("Slaughter-livestock Festival") in Chinese, Tfaska Tamoqqart in the Berber language of Djerba, Tabaski or Tobaski in West African languages, Babbar Sallah in Nigerian languages, and ciida gawraca in Somali.

Eid-al-Adha has had other names outside the Muslim world. The name is often simply translated into the local language, such as English Festival of Sacrifice, German Opferfest, Dutch Offerfeest, RomanianSărbătoarea Sacrificiului and Hungarian Áldozati ünnep. In Spanish, it is known as the Fiesta del Cordero, the Festival of the Lamb.

In Bangladesh know as Kurbani Eid.

According to Islamic tradition, approximately four thousand years ago, the valley of Mecca (in what is nowSaudi Arabia) was a dry, rocky and uninhabited place. Abraham ('Ibraheem in Arabic) was instructed to bring his Egyptian wife Hajra (Hāǧar) and Ishmael, his only child at the time (Ismā'īl), to Arabia from the land of Canaan by God's command.

As Abraham was ready to return to Canaan, Hajra asked him, "Did Allah (God) order you to leave us here? or are you leaving us here to die." Abraham turned around to face his wife. He was so sad that he couldn't say anything. he pointed to the sky showing that God commanded him to do so. Hagar said, "Then Allah will not waste us; you can go". Though Abraham had left a large quantity of food and water with Hajra and Ishmael, the supplies quickly ran out, and within a few days the two began to feel the pangs of hunger and dehydration.

Hajra ran up and down between two hills called Al-Safa and Al-Marwah seven times, in her desperate quest for water. Exhausted, she finally collapsed beside her baby Ishmael and prayed to God for deliverance. Miraculously, a spring of water gushed forth from the earth at the feet of baby Ishmael. Other accounts have the angel Gabriel (Jibrail) striking the earth and causing the spring to flow in abundance. With this secure water supply, known as the Zamzam Well, they were not only able to provide for their own needs, but were also able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.

Years later, Abraham was instructed by God to return from Canaan to build a place of worship adjacent to Hagar's well (the Zamzam Well). Abraham and Ishmael constructed a stone and mortar structure —known as the Kaaba— which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God. As the years passed, Ishmael was blessed with Prophethood (Nubuwwah) and gave the nomads of the desert his message of submission to God. After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving desert city and a major center for trade, thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zamzam.

In many Muslim cultures the graves of the deceased are also visited during the day of Eid al-Adha.

One of the main trials of Abraham's life was to face the command of God to devote his dearest possession, his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to God's will. During this preparation, Satan (Shaitan) tempted Abraham and his family by trying to dissuade them from carrying out God's commandment, and Ibrahim drove Satan away by throwing pebbles at him. In commemoration of their rejection of Satan, stones are thrown at symbolic pillars signifying Satan during the Hajj rites.

When Ishmael was about 13 (Ibrahim being 99), Allah (God) decided to test their faith in public. Abraham had a recurring dream, in which God was commanding him to offer his son as a sacrifice – an unimaginable act – sacrificing his son, which God had granted him after many years of deep prayer. Abraham knew that the dreams of the prophets were divinely inspired, and one of the ways in which God communicated with his prophets. When the intent of the dreams became clear to him, Abraham decided to fulfill God's command and offer Ishmael for sacrifice.

Although Abraham was ready to sacrifice his dearest for Allah's sake, he could not just go and drag his son to the place of sacrifice without his consent. Isma'el had to be consulted as to whether he was willing to give up his life as fulfillment to God's command. This consultation would be a major test of Isma'el's maturity in faith, love and commitment for Allah, willingness to obey his father and sacrifice his own life for the sake of Allah.

Abraham presented the matter to his son and asked for his opinion about the dreams of slaughtering him. Ishmael did not show any hesitation or reservation even for a moment. He said, "Father, do what you have been commanded. You will find me, Insha'Allah (God willing), to be very patient." His mature response, his deep insight into the nature of dad’s dreams, his commitment to Allah, and ultimately his willingness to sacrifice his own life for the sake of Allah were all unprecedented.

When both father and son had shown their perfect obedience to Allah and they had practically demonstrated their willingness to sacrifice their most precious possessions for His sake — Abraham by laying down his son for sacrifice and Ishmael by lying patiently under the knife – Allah called out to them stating that his sincere intentions had been accepted, and that he need not carry out the killing of Ishmael. Instead, Abraham was told to replace his son with a ram to sacrifice instead. Allah also told them that they had passed the test imposed upon them by his willingness to carry out God's command.

This is mentioned in the Qur'an as follows:

"O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!" So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance. And when (his son) was old enough to walk and work with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I see in vision that I offer you in sacrifice: Now see what is your view!" (The son) said: "O my father! Do what you are commanded; if Allah wills, you will find me one practising patience and steadfastness!" So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead, We called out to him saying: O Ibraheem! You have indeed fulfilled the vision; surely thus do We reward those who do good. Most surely this was a manifest trial. And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice. And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations. "Peace and salutation to Abraham!" Thus indeed do We reward those who do right. Surely he was one of Our believing servants.

As a reward for this sacrifice, Allah then granted Abraham the good news of the birth of his second son, Is-haaq (Isaac):

And We gave him the good news of Is-haaq, a prophet from among the righteous.

Abraham had shown that his love for God superseded all others: that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dearest to him in submission to God's command. Muslims commemorate this ultimate act of sacrifice every year during Eid al-Adha.

The Sunnah of Eid al-Adha

In keeping with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims are encouraged to prepare themselves for the occasion of Eid. Below is a list of things Muslims are recommended to do in preparation for the Eid al-Adha festival:

1. Make wudu (ablution) and offer Salat al-Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer).
2. Prepare for personal cleanliness - take care of details of clothing, etc.
3. Take a Ghusl (bath) after Fajr prayer.
4. Brush teeth (preferably with a miswak, or tooth-stick).
5. Dress up, putting on new or best clothes available (White, when available, is optimal.
6. Apply perfume (attar) (men only).
7. It is Sunnah not to eat anything before going to Eid prayers. Contrast with Eid ul-Fitr when eating dates is recommended. The sacrifice must be done after Eid prayers to be accepted as sacrifice.
8. Go to the prayer grounds (known as an 'Eidgah') early.
9. Offer Salat al-Eid (the congregational Eid prayer) in an open place, weather permitting, or in mosque.
10. Use two separate routes when traveling to and from the Eid prayer location.
11. Recite the following Takbir which starts at Maghrib (sunset) on the 9th of Dhu al-hijah and last until the Asr on the 13th Dhu al-ilhijah: Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ilaha illa-lah wallahu-Akbar. Allahu-Akbar wa-lillahil-hamd, which translates to: "Allah (God) is the Greatest (3 times); there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and to Him are due all praises."

Muslims from the Ottoman Empire gather after Eid prayers to greet the Imam.

Salat al-Eid (Eid prayer)

Muslims from the Ottoman Empire gather after Eid prayers to greet the Imam.

Salat al-Eid is a Fard Kifaya (Fard meaning that if performed by some, the obligation falls from the rest) congregational prayer. Eid prayer must be offered in congregation. It consists of two Raka'ah(units) with seven Takbirs in the first Raka'ah and five Takbirs in the second Raka'ah. For Sunni Muslims, Salat al-Eid differs from the five daily canonical prayers in that no adhan (Call to Prayer) or iqama (call) is pronounced for the two Eid prayers. However, Shi'ite Muslims may begin Salat al-Eid with adhan (Call to Prayer)—with a third repetition of the line "Hayya ala salah" ("Come to prayer")—and iqama (call).The Salaat (prayer) is then followed by the Khutbah, or sermon, by the Imam.

At the conclusion of the prayers and sermon, the Muslims embrace and exchange greetings with one other (Eid Mubarak), give gifts (Eidi) to children, and visit one another. Many Muslims also take this opportunity to invite their non-Muslims friends, neighbours, co-workers and classmates to their Eid festivities to better acquaint them about Islam and Muslim culture.

Rules regarding the animal to be sacrificed1.The animal has to be one of the cattle approved by the Sharia (Cow, Camel, Goat, Sheep etc.)

2.The animal has reached the required age. The adult age is:

• Six months for a sheep
• One year for a goat or lamb
• Two years for a cow
• Five years for a camel

3.The animal is free from an obvious defect like a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, a lame animal whose limp is obvious and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones.4.The animal is in full possession of the one who is offering the sacrifice; i.e. it is not stolen or taken by force, not of joint possession or held in pledge.

5.The animal cannot be sold or given away once selected or bought for sacrifice, unless exchanging for something better.

Rules related to the person offering the sacrifice

1. Being a Muslim
2. It is necessary for the one who intends to offer the sacrifice that he does not remove any hair or nail from the sunset on last day of Zhul-Qa’dah until the sacrifice is done on the Eid day for the Haji people
3. Doing the slaughter with one’s own hands. If one is not able to do so then he can appoint some one else to do the slaughter on his behalf. In such case one should witness his slaughter if at all possible.
4. It is a necessary condition of the sacrifice that the animal be slaughtered with the intention of offering a sacrifice (udhiyah). The intention must be in the heart, and should not be spoken out loud.
5. Taking the Name of Allah at the time of slaughter.

Traditions and practices

A panorama in 12 folds showing Muslims returning from their Mosques after Eid prayers in the Mughal Empire.

Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer (ṣalātu l-`Īdi) in a large congregation is an openwaqf field called Eidgah or mosque. Those Muslims who can afford, i.e Malik-e-Nisaab; sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually a cow, but can also be a camel, goat, sheep or ram depending on the region) as a symbol of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son. The sacrificed animals, called Uḍhiyyah (Arabic: أضحية‎, also known by its Persian term, "al-Qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice.

The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by concerted efforts to see that no impoverished person is left without an opportunity to partake in the sacrificial meal during these days.

During Eid al-Adha, distributing meat amongst the people, chanting the Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers throughout the three days of Eid, are considered essential parts of this important Islamic festival. In some countries, families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.

During the festivals of Eid al-Adha, Muslims generally prepare the finest meals derived from their respective cuisines.

Eid al-Adha in the Gregorian calendar

During the festivals of Eid al-Adha, Muslims generally prepare the finest meals derived from their respective cuisines.

While Eid al-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. The lunar calendar is approximately eleven days shorter than the solar calendar. Each year, Eid al-Adha (like other Islamic holidays) falls on one of two different Gregorian dates in different parts of the world, because the boundary of crescent visibility is different from the International Date Line.

The following list shows the official dates of Eid al-Adha for Saudi Arabia as announced by the Supreme Judicial Council. Future dates are calculated according to the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia. The three days after the listed date are also part of the festival. The time before the listed date the pilgrims visit the Mount Arafat and descend from it after sunrise of the listed day. Future dates of Eid al-Adha might face correction 10 days before the festivity, in case of deviant lunar sighting in Saudi Arabia for the start of the month Dhul Hijja.

• 1418 (Islamic Calendar): April 7, 1998
• 1419 (Islamic Calendar): March 27, 1999
• 1420 (Islamic Calendar): March 16, 2000
• 1421 (Islamic Calendar): March 5, 2001
• 1422 (Islamic Calendar): February 23, 2002
• 1423 (Islamic Calendar): February 12, 2003
• 1424 (Islamic Calendar): February 1, 2004
• 1425 (Islamic Calendar): January 21, 2005
• 1426 (Islamic Calendar): January 10, 2006
• 1427 (Islamic Calendar): December 31, 2006
• 1428 (Islamic Calendar): December 20, 2007
• 1429 (Islamic Calendar): December 8, 2008
• 1430 (Islamic Calendar): November 27, 2009
• 1431 (Islamic Calendar): November 16, 2010
• 1432 (Islamic Calendar): November 7, 2011 (calculated)
• 1433 (Islamic Calendar): October 26, 2012 (calculated)
• 1434 (Islamic Calendar): October 15, 2013 (calculated)
• 1435 (Islamic Calendar): October 4, 2014 (calculated)
• 1436 (Islamic Calendar): September 23, 2015 (calculated)
• 1437 (Islamic Calendar): September 11, 2016 (calculated)
• 1438 (Islamic Calendar): September 1, 2017 (calculated)
• 1439 (Islamic Calendar): August 21, 2018 (calculated)
• 1440 (Islamic Calendar): August 11, 2019 (calculated)
• 1441 (Islamic Calendar): July 31, 2020 (calculated)
• 1442 (Islamic Calendar): July 23, 2021 (calculated)

^Corrected

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