Two major Eids are celebrated in Islam on two different days in the year. One is Eid ul Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and it falls on the 1st of Shawwal. Next is Eid ul Adha which is the day of sacrifice along with pilgrimage and it falls on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah.
The Eid ul Adha is also referred to as the greater Eid, this is because it is considered as holier among both Eids. The Eid ul Adha is celebrated on the tenth of the final month of the Islamic calendar; Dhul-hijjah. The day on which Eid ul Adha falls greatly depends on legitimate sightings of the moon in various regions of the world.
Moreover, the day of Eid ul Adha signifies the completion of the yearly Holy pilgrimage of Hajj which is the last yet most important pillar of Islam.
Sacrifice on Eid ul Adha
Sacrifice commonly known as Qurbani in Islam is a mandatory practice for every sane Muslim who can easily afford it. The ritual of Qurbani is basically a re-enactment of the famous historical incident involving the great sacrifice of Prophet Abraham and his son Prophet Ismail.
The event follows as Allah (SWT) commanded Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Prophet Ismail and surprisingly, without even flinching Prophet Abraham was ready to make such a huge sacrifice. He set out on a journey to carry out the sacrifice of his dearest son. As soon as he was about to do the main deed of sacrifice, Allah (SWT) miraculously replaced Prophet Ismail with a lamb.
This command was basically a test of Allah (SWT) towards the faith of Prophet Abraham and since that day onwards it has been named Eid ul Adha meaning the Eid of sacrifice. For centuries Muslims all around the world have celebrated Eid ul Adha on this day.
The duration of Eid ul Adha can vary according to different regions of the world. In some countries, the festivities last for 2 while in some they last for 4 days. The act of Qurbani is performed after offering Eid prayer in the nearest mosque on the dawn of Eid.
Eid ul Adha Celebration
Globally Muslims celebrate Eid ul Adha by performing Qurbani. The practice of Qurbani is basically the slaughtering of an animal as a sacrifice in remembrance of the greatest sacrifice done by Prophet Abraham on Allah’s (SWT) command. The Qurbani in Islam is also commonly known as Udhiya.
In total 3 days are dedicated for the animal sacrifice that is from the 10th to the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah. The sacrificial animal can be any from the following list.
- Sheep
- Cow
- Lamb
- Goat
- Camel
- Bull
From the above Sheep, Lamb, and Goat suffice for the Qurbani of an individual whereas, Camel, Bull, and Cow can be shared among 7 individuals for Qurbani. There are some prerequisites that need to be considered while choosing an animal for the sole purpose of Qurbani.
Such as the animal should be in perfect health physically and mentally. Moreover, it should be above a certain age in order to qualify as an animal fit for Qurbani in Islam.
Lastly, Allah (SWT) has set forth a very clear distribution method of the Qurbani meat. The distribution follows as; One share of the Qurbani meat is to be kept for the family, one share is to be distributed in the neighbourhood and friend circle, while the last share is reserved for the poor and people in need.
Usually, that day of Eid ul Adha is celebrated with family, friends, and close ones. On this day people usually wear new and clean outfits while exchanging greetings and gifts with their family.
Ekplatebiryani would like to extend a very happy Eid ul Adha to all the Muslims celebrating in every corner of the world. This Eid ul Adha, join hands with Ekplatebiryani to ensure that your donations and Qurbani meat reach the deserving people less fortunate than you. Ekplatebiryani is responsible for providing ration bags in order to ease the worries of families who can not meet ends due to a lack of resources.
The food distribution and food drive campaigns carried out by Ekplatebiryani have been distributing food bags to thousands of deserving families discreetly along with keeping their dignity intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eid ul Adha mandatory?
Performing Qurbani on Eid ul Adha has been made mandatory for only those individuals who can easily afford the expenses of Qurbani. However, every individual that performs Qurbani has to give away one-third of his sacrificial animal’s meat to the poor. In this way, people who are not able to perform Qurbani are equally involved in the celebrations and they receive an abundance of meat to consume.
How do you explain Eid al-Adha to a child?
The literal meaning of Eid ul Adha is the Eid of sacrifice. Muslims all around the world perform Qurbani which means slaughtering an animal in the remembrance of the greatest sacrifice made by Prophet Abraham years ago upon Allah’s (SWT) will. The sacrifice on Eid ul Adha gives us a chance to reflect on our actions and faith in Allah (SWT).
When is Eid ul Adha?
The tentative date of Eid ul Adha 2022 in Pakistan is July 9th. The actual date may vary according to the legitimate sighting of the moon.
What happens at Eid ul Adha?
Every year on Eid ul Adha Muslims celebrate the greater Eid by offering Eid Salah and listening to the special sermon in the mosque followed by Qurbani of their sacrificial animal. Muslims on a global level celebrate Eid ul Adha by putting on new attire and by exchanging greetings and gifts with their families and friends.
Wrap up
The Qurbani performed by billions of Muslims globally on Eid ul Adha is the symbolic representation of the exceptional sacrifice made by Prophet Abraham. Every year the celebration and festivities of Eid ul Adha honour the firm faith and willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Prophet Ibrahim as an oath to obedience of the Lord Allah (SWT).
It is our utmost duty to make sure that we make poor and needy people a part of our celebrations by giving away their well-deserved portion from our Qurbani meat. For this very reason this Eid ul Adha, choose Ekplatebiryani for donations. May Allah (SWT) enable us to perform Qurbani with pure intentions and reward us for our Qurbani this year!
