Muslims are blessed with not one but two Eid Occasions during the Islamic year. The first one is Eid-ul-Fitr which symbolises the conclusion of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The second is Eid-ul-Adha which commemorates the Pilgrimage of Hajj, a spiritual journey that Islam has made compulsory on all able Muslims.

This year, Muslims in the United Kingdom celebrated Eid-ul-Adha on the 4th October. Millions of fortunate Muslims performed the Pilgrimage of Hajj on this day, whilst many hundreds of millions performed the important task of Qurbani (sacrifice) in order to show their obedience and devotion to Allah (SWT). There is a lot of factual information pertaining to this Eid that Muslims should be aware of.

This will be the topic of today’s Muslim Aid post, as we highlight some very significant information about Hajj rituals, enabling Muslims to perform them with the best of intentions and knowledge. People who are not of the Muslim faith will find this information equally useful as they will learn what Eid-ul-Adha entails.

Below are some very important facts about Eid-ul-Adha for our readers.

• Eid-ul-Adha is performed on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah according to the Islamic Calendar

• It can be performed any time after sunrise but before Zuhr prayer

• Muslims prepare themselves for this day following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This includes:

-Performing Wudhu (ablution) and offering Fajr prayer

-Taking extra special care of personal cleanliness and of their clothing

 

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-Dressing up by wearing new clothes

• Eid prayers are offered in congregationally large gatherings representing unity, and consist of two Rakats

• Careful attention must be paid to the number of Takbeers beforehand, as many people often get this incorrect. It is of utmost importance that the first Rakat consists of seven Takbeers and the second Rakat consists of five

• A Khutba (sermon) follows the prayer. It is compulsory to listen to it. It can be anywhere around 15-20 minutes long

• After Eid-ul-Adha prayers, Muslims perform the Qurbani ritual, which entails sacrificing a goat, cow or buffalo. The Qurbani meat is then divided into three portions. One part is for their family, the second part is for their neighbour and finally the third part is for the poor.  In retrospect, Islam teaches us to feed the hungry, the less privileged and to look out for the well-being of our neighbours

• Following the sermon, Muslims embrace and exchange greetings of well wishes. Children often get gifts. Families visit each other. It is a day to rejoice

With Eid-ul-Adha and its festivities successfully concluded, everyone is getting back to their normal work routines. May Allah (SWT) bless this honoured occasion and accept the Qurbani of hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world.

Furthermore, may Allah (SWT) accept the pilgrimage of Hajj offered by millions of Muslims this year and consequently grant them with its reward. May their journey home be trouble free, safe and may this Eid be a prosperous one for the Muslim Ummah.

We hope that you found the aforementioned facts useful. Although Eid-ul-Adha is a Muslim holiday, it is also a great opportunity to interact with non-Muslims and share with them the concept of Eid and its significance.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is a four-day holiday where Muslims come together to celebrate their faith by eating a lot of red meat. The holiday kicks off today and runs through Monday, October 29.

1. Eid al-Adha is celebrated to honor and commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as per God’s order. God provided Abraham with a sheep to sacrifice at the last second instead.
2. Eid al-Adha takes place at the end of Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia), one of the five pillars of Islam. Every year, approximately 3 million Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.
3. Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid celebrations, the first being Eid al-Fitr, which comes after Ramadan.
4. Salat ul-Eid are significant prayers which take place during the first day of Eid to kick things off.
5. During Eid al-Adha, men, women and children dress in their finest attire, and those who can afford to sacrifice an entire halal animal — often a sheep or a cow, and in some regions a camel — and donate the meat to neighbors and those who are less fortunate.
6. The meat is divided into three parts: the family keeps one third; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the last part is given to those in need. The idea is that no impoverished person is left without meat on the table during Eid al-Adha.
7. The sacrificed animal is referred to as Udiyyah (meaning “the sacrificed” in Arabic), and has to meet a certain set of rules, which include being of a certain age and of the highest quality available.
8. Often times, fried liver is served for breakfast, while the rest of the animal constitutes meals for lunch and dinner. Cooking techniques and recipes vary from one country to another. In the Arab world, one of the basic ways to cook mutton is to braise it with plenty of garlic, cumin and onion over a slow fire. In Southeast Asia, biryanis are especially popular, while in Turkey, kebab (kebap in Turkish) is prevalent.