All About Eid-al-Adha

What is Eid-al-Adha?
Eid means festival or feast in Arabic. And there are two big holidays in Islam, Eid-al-Fitr
(celebration at the end of Ramadan) and Eid-al-Adha (the festival at the end of Hajj).

When is Hajj?
The date of Hajj is determined by the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar
calendar. The months of the Islamic calendar are based on the moon phases, so
important dates change every year. The events of Hajj take place in ten days, starting
in Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar.

Why do Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage?
In the 9th century AH, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led a group of Muslims to
Mecca and performed the first Hajj, a pilgrimage to the Kaaba. This Islamic holy site
dates to Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) in 6th century AH. Now all Muslims must complete the
pilgrimage once in their lifetime. The Hajj rituals celebrate solidarity among Muslims
from around the world. Muslims from the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and
the Middle East are united. This unity is important, even after Hajj. Muslims also make
daily prayers facing the Kaaba for the purpose of unity.

Who is Prophet Ibrahim?
Prophet Abraham, or Prophet Ibrahim as he is called in Arabic, is a holy figure in the
Hebrew, Christian, and Muslim scriptures. In the Torah, Bible, and Quran, there is a
story about how Prophet Ibrahim’s faith in God was tested when he was asked to do
the unthinkable, sacrifice his child. When he was willing to do so, an Angel replaced his
child with a goat. The meaning of the story is faith and submission even in the most difficult circumstances.

Hajj, Eid-Al-Adha, Faith, and Submission
Hajj and Eid-al-Adha celebrate faith and submission. Muslims believe that the most
important thing is faith in God, or Allah in Arabic (s.w.t). Even when the path is not
clear or things don’t go as planned, Muslims believe Allah (s.w.t) has a bigger plan. So
instead of holding on to grudges, fears, and worries, during Eid, Muslims release them
and have faith in Allah (s.w.t).

How is Eid-al-Adha celebrated?
Traditionally, Muslim families would kill a goat or cow from their livestock. These
animals were of high value and a financial sacrifice for the families. That meat was
then divided into three parts: one part going to the family for their Eid feast, one part
going to neighbors, and one part going to the less fortunate. Modern families, who
don’t own livestock, often will make an equivalent donation to charity and host a meal
for family and neighbors.

Activities

• VIDEO: Peg+Cat | Eid-Al-Adha Adventure (GR K-5)
• How To: Watercolor Collage Kaaba Unity Craft For Eid al-Adha

References

https://www.abwe.org/blog/abraham-father-three-faiths-inspecting-ibrahim-islam
https://smarthistory.org/the-kaaba/
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1864624,00.html