Eid al-Adha occurs on the the 10th day Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days. Muslims around the world observe this event.
It is the second of Islam’s two major festivals, with Eid al-Fitr being the first major festival.
Both the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha were first presented by Muhammad, who proclaimed that the Almighty had fixed the two days of festivity to show gratitude to God and celebrate him.
Eid al-Adha is celebrated with families dressing in their finest clothing and perform Eid prayers.
In some traditionally Muslim countries, families or groups of families may purchase an animal known as udhiya, usually a goat or sheep, to sacrifice. The meat is distributed one third to the family, a third to relatives, and a third to the needy.
many Muslims in western countries symbolically sacrifice an animal in an act known as qurbani. Families that do not own livestock often make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.
The date of Eid al-Adha in the Gregorian calendar falls approximately 11 days earlier each successive year, since the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Gregorian calendar is solar.
In the period around Eid al-Adha, many Muslims travel to Mecca and the surrounding area in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
