Known as Eid al-Adha, the ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar.

The festival may also be known as ‘al-Eid al-Kabeer’, which means the 'Grand Eid'. It has more important status in religious terms than Eid al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting) and this Eid lasts for four days whereas Eid al-Fitr is one day.

The event marks the end of Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage that all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims are obliged to undertake once in their lifetime. Muslims may plan and save for many years to get enabled to take part in the event of Hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage is believed to cleanse the soul out of sins and instill a sense of equality, sisterhood and brotherhood. Some 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world flock annually to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the ritual.

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Zual-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar. As the exact day is based on lunar sightings, the date may vary between countries during any season of the year.

This festival is celebrated throughout the Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for God.

Muslims usually wear new clothes and some exchange gifts while children are entertained and take a day off from school, including college students. Many Muslims also do not go to work on that day.

Origins

When asked about the origin of Eid al-Adha, the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is reported to have said, “It is a tradition that has come down to us from Abraham.”

The Feast of Sacrifice dates from the historic event when Prophet Abraham was commanded by God, in a form of a dream vision, to sacrifice his son, Ishmail. But while he was in the act of sacrificing his son, God sent the Angel Gabriel with a huge ram. Gabriel informed Abraham that his dream vision was fulfilled and instructed him to sacrifice the ram as a ransom for his son. The story is mentioned in Chapter #37 of the holy Qur'an.

Traditions of Eid al-Adha

Eid prayers

Performing communal prayers and listening to a sermon in the morning is how most Muslims begin celebrating this Eid.

Mosques and Islamic centers are packed with worshippers with outside arrangements made to accommodate large groups of people around the world.

Sacrificing an animal

During the feast of Eid al-Adha, Muslims re-enact Abraham's obedience by sacrificing a cow or a ram.

Families that can afford to sacrifice a ritually acceptable animal (sheep, goat, camel, or cow) do so and then divide the flesh equally among themselves, the poor, friends and neighbors.

The animal sacrifice comes with an element of charity, as the person paying for the sacrifice is required to distribute part of it to others.

Some Muslims will pay the value of an animal to one of a number of Muslim charities around the world that collect funds for remote animal sacrifices, distributing the meat to underprivileged groups – including refugees, the elderly and disabled people.

Other traditions

The giving of charity in the form of money, food or clothes to the homeless or poor people is another key tradition of Eid al-Adha.