It is one of the two festivals for Muslims (and the other festival is Eid Al Fitr). It coincides with Dhu al-Hijjah Day 10 after the end of Arafah day, the position where Muslim pilgrims perform the most important Hajj rituals and end on Dhu al-Hijjah 13. This feast is also a monument to the history of Abraham, peace be upon him when he saw a vision in which God ordered him to sacrifice his son Ishmael, and after believing his son and his vision of the vision, God He ordered to sacrifice a sacrifice in place of his son, so Muslims draw near to God on this day by sacrificing a cattle (sheep or cow, or camel) and distribute the meat of the udhiyah to relatives, the poor, and their home, from hence the name Eid al-Adha.
Hajj ceremony
In Islamic terms, the pilgrimage is the pilgrimage to the Kaaba, “House of God”, in the holy city of Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Hajj rituals are performed for five or six days, starting on the eighth day and ending on the thirteenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this season, pilgrims from all over the world flock to Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula and the world is the best example of true human brotherhood, which has been torn apart by political, economic, religious, and cultural conflicts.
Eid al-Adha celebrations
A Muslim must perform Hajj at least once in his life, as long as he can offer the cost of the trip, have no debt, and not prevented from performing Hajj. Those who can’t perform Hajj join the ceremony in their places.
Eid preparations
Eid celebrates great intelligence and reverence everywhere. Like Eid Al Fitr, Muslims make preparations several days before the festival. Slaughtered animals are bought long before the holiday by those who can afford it and are well cared for. These animals must be free from all physical defects and must be fully developed. In the case of sheep or goats, one animal is sufficient for the home, while up to seven families of a cow or a camel can be shared.
Eid time and prayer.
Eid is on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah month, ten days after seeing the new moon. With the announcement of the vision of the new moon, preparations for the feast begin in earnest. Eid’s eve is always crowded, so markets in most countries remain open all night. Early in the morning after showering and wearing the best clothes in which one can gather Muslims at Eid or the major mosques in Medina to serve the Eid prayer, which consists of two rak’ahs and present themselves in the same way. Like Eid Al-Fitr.
Breakfast is generally not served on this holiday, and those who make sacrifices eat nothing after slaughtering. After the prayer, the imam gives a sermon explaining the meaning of the festival, with details of the sacrifices made by Ibrahim, his wife, Hajar, and their son Ismail. Returning along a different path and singing to God Almighty, loyal Muslims return to their homes and sacrifice their animals.
Eid Takbir
ON THE DAY OF EID, MUSLIMS RECITE:
‘Allah is the greatest,
Allah is the greatest.
There is no one worthy of worship except God,
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest Praise be to Allah,
Whenever possible: In addition to other prayers for this occasion, the person offering the animal sacrifice reads:
“Say my prayers, my sacrifice, my life, and my death for the good of God, Lord of the worlds.”
The sacrifice
The person making the sacrifice can use a portion of the meat, and the rest is distributed among family, friends, neighbors, and the poor. Animals can be slaughtered on the three days of Eid. Millions of animals around the world are slaughtered on this occasion all-day and filling the next two days with parties and celebrations, where the main dishes are prepared from meat. The skins of slaughtered animals are sold and the proceeds go to various charities. Eid money is collected on this occasion and spent for the welfare of society as a whole.
The philosophy of sacrifice
According to the teachings of Islam, animal sacrifice is not offered to appease abusive deities or earn their favor as an atonement for sins, as was the case in many other countries.
The Holy Qur’an made it clear by declaring:
{Neither the body nor the blood of your sacrifices will pray to God, but the just motive is what lies behind it} Surah Al-Hajj Ayat(22:37).
In other words, killing animals is a symbolic expression in which a Muslim declares his willingness to give his private life and everything he possesses in the cause of God Almighty. The sacrificed animal represents the animal in man himself.
