What is Eid ul Adha?
In the Islamic religion, there are two key Eid (Celebration Festivals) in Islam: Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. Eid ul Fitr is celebrated after the completion of the Holy Month of Ramadan; meanwhile, Eid-ul-Adha, which is also called “BARI EID” or “THE GREATER EID,” is celebrated at the completion of the annual Hajj, which is the pillar of Islam.
Eid ul Adha and Hajj:
Eid ul adha is celebrated after Hajj, but Eid-ul-Adha has no direct relation with it. It is celebrated a day after the completion of Hajj as it is an order by Allah, and it holds significance in time.
When is Eid-ul-Adha celebrated?
Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day in the final (12th) month according to the Islamic Lunar Calendar, which is name Dhu-al-Hijjah. Muslims decide the day to celebrate the Eid ul Adha after the sighting of the moon, which is done on the last date of the previous month, Dhul-Qadah.
A proper team or committee known as the “Ruat-e-Hilal Committee” has given the task of moon tightening, which decides the birth of a new moon according to Islamic Principles. Eid ul Adha is celebrated right after 10 days of moon sighting.
Why is Eid ul Adha celebrated?
A question may arise in your mind: is this practice done? The Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated in order to honor the Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah SWT and his preparations to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for Allah.
One day, he had a dream in which Allah Almighty ordered Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his most beloved thing for Allah. He understood that it was a sign for his son Ismail. So he took his son to the ground, asked him to lie on the ground, put a knife above his throat, and closed his eyes. At the end time of the sacrifice, Allah SWT replaced Ismail with the ram, which was to be slaughtered in place of his son.
It was the command from Allah SWT to test Prophet Ibrahim’s loyalty and commitment to obey his Lord’s command without question. So, in remembrance of this event, Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, is celebrated.
Does every country celebrate it on the same day?
It depends on the country. The celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha usually last anywhere between two and four days. It means that there is a difference of 1 to 2 days between each country, depending on the moon.
How Eid ul Adha is celebrated?
The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out with an Eid Salaah (Eid Prayer), which is performed in a gathering like other prayers at the nearest Mosque or ground on the morning of Eid, usually at the time from 5 am to 8.30 am. After eid prayer, the act of Qurbani is done.
The act of Qurbani means to sacrifice an animal for Allah in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice for Allah SWT. It is also known as Udhiya. The days of animal sacrifice are 3, from the 10th to the 12th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.
What type of Animal is sacrificed?
The Animal to be sacrificed must be a sheep, goat, lamb, bull, camel, or cow. Goats, lamb, and sheep consist of 1 share of Qurbani, whereas a bull, cow, or camel consists of 7 shares per Animal. There are certain conditions for the animals; The Animal must have good health and have a certain age in order to be sacrified in a “halal” friendly, Islamic way.
What to do with the Qurbani meat?
It is an order. The Qurbani meat must be divided into 3 equal parts per share: one-third is for you and family, one-third is for friends and relatives, and the final third is to be donated to people in need and those who are not able to perform Qurbani due to financial issues.
The meat is then to be cooked and eaten. This day is usually spent with family, friends, and loved ones. People often wear new clothes and give gifts.
For how many days is Eid ul Adha celebrated?
Eid ul Adha is usually for 3 days, the 10th, 11th, and 12th of Dul hajjah. If a person is not able to do Qurbani on the first day, he can do it on 2nd and 3rdday of Eid.
What are the benefits of celebrating Eid ul Adha?
The biggest advantage of Eid ul Adha is the happiness of Allah Almighty. Secondly, the needy people will get to eat fresh meat.
As in today’s era, pure and fresh meat is nearly difficult to find. So there will be several diseases that a person gets after eating unpure meat. So, on Eid ul Adha, one is able to eat fresh and pure meat, which not only boosts metabolism but also improves health.
For how long do we store or eat the meat?
It is ordered to finish meat before the commencement of the next Islamic month, Muharram.
Conclusion
Eid ul Adha is a holy event that Muslim celebrate in the 12th Islamic month. They sacrifice their Animal in order to remember the act of Prophet Ibrahim that he did for Allah. Animals are sacrificed so that meat is distributed.
From all Muslims, Eid Mubarak to you all.
