Why Eid Al Adha is celebrated
Eid Al Adha — or the Feast of Sacrifice — honours Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail when ordered by God.
According to the Holy Quran, as Ibrahim was preparing to carry out the sacrifice, Satan appeared in an attempt to dissuade him from carrying out the sacrifice, only to be repelled by stones thrown by Ibrahim. Just before the sacrifice took place, God sent the angel Jibreel, who replaced the boy with a lamb. Ibrahim — seeing that his son was safe — was then celebrated for the level of his commitment to God.
To commemorate the event, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid Al Adha by sacrificing an animal, which is then split into thirds: one part for the family, one part for relatives, neighbours and friends, and another for those in need.
For Muslims, Eid Al Adha is a time of self reflection, in which they contemplate the meaning of submission to God and think about the things they hold most dear in their lives.
Eid Al Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic Calendar. Similar to Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha begins with a prayer comprised of two rakats (units) as well as a khutbah (sermon), which will be held in various open-air musallahs and mosques.
Across the Muslim world, Eid Al Adha is a holiday for both the private and public sectors. In the UAE, the private sector is off until September 3, while the public sector gets an additional day off and will resume work on Monday, September 4.
In Saudi Arabia, the government has announced a 16-day holiday to mark Eid Al Adha, while Pakistan is enjoying a fourday holiday period.