After the 10 Days of Dhul Hijjah come Eid al-Adha. I mentioned in my last post that I'll be sharing a post on Eid ul-Adha and this is it! On the day of posting, Eid was last Wednesday (Wednesday 28 June 2023) and is the second of the two Eids that Muslims celebrate, so here's some things you might want to know about this special day...
Eid ul-Adha Mubarak!
Eid ul-Adha happens 2 months and 9 days after Eid al-Fitr, on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah, which is approximately halfway through the pilgrimage of Hajj.
It lasts 3-4 days, which is almost twice as long as Eid al-Fitr.
As usual, fasting is prohibited on this day as it is a day of celebration.
Muslims sacrifice an animal as part of the practices in accordance with the halal method. This animal can be a ram, a bull, a camel or something of the likes and the meat is shared amongst the person making the sacrifice, their friends and family, and the poor and needy.
Sacrificing an animal is not obligatory on everyone, only those who can afford to do so, and for those who are able to afford it, it is a minimum of one sacrifice per household.
What does Eid ul-Adha commemorate?
Eid ul-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (as) and his son Isma'il (Ishmael) (as). One night Prophet Ibrahim had a dream where he was ordered to slaughter his son, so in the morning, he told his son about the dream who supported him and encouraged him to do as he was commanded in the dream as they both knew that it was from Allah swt.
With that, they both set off to a secluded place to carry out the action. On the way, Prophet Ibrahim (as) got stopped at 3 points as Shaytan (Satan) kept whispering to him, trying to dissuade him from obeying Allah's orders. In response, Ibrahim (as) made dua and threw 7 stones at Shaytan in each of those places, an act which is commemorated today when the pilgrims throw 7 stones at the 3 stone pillars that mark the locations during the Hajj pilgrimage.
Upon reaching their destination, the two prophets (as) both got ready for the sacrifice and Ibrahim (as), unable to watch what was about to unfold, covered his eyes. Just as he was about to carry out the task, he was ordered to stop: it was a test from Allah to test his loyalty and faith and he had passed! Instead, Allah swt sent down a ram for Ibrahim (as) to slaughter, but it managed to escape, so Ibrahim (as) had to chase it for three consecutive days before he was able to slaughter it, elongating the period Eid lasts.
That is what Eid ul-Adha commemorates. The test of faith that father and son (both of whom are prophets) Ibrahim and Isma'il (as) passed.
Now you know more about Eid ul-Adha, the second of the 2 Eids in the Islamic faith, and how it commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Isma'il (as). This celebration is celebrated by Muslims worldwide, so the next time they are celebrating, you know what they're celebrating and some of the practices and their history.
That's all from me today. I'll see you in my next post. Eid Mubarak! ;)
Key:
(as) = alayhi assalaam = peace be ubon him
swt = subhanahu wa ta'alaa
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