Eid Al-Adha 2017: When Is It and Why Muslims Celebrate It?

By Vincent Alocada, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Apart from the Hajj, the Islam world is celebrating another important holiday this week, the Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha is one of the most important annual religious holidays for the Muslims. The festival, which is otherwise known as the Festival of Sacrifice, begins on the 10th day of the holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

As Eid al-Adha is based on the sightings of the new crescent moon, it goes without saying that its date changes every year. This year, Saudi Arabia's High Judicial Court has announced that the first day of the Islamic religious event falls on Sept. 1.

While Eid al-Adha commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham to Christians) sacrifice to Allah (God), specifically when he was tasked to sacrifice his son Isaac (which later turned out to be just a test of his faith), practices attached to it vary among the Muslims around the world. While some simply greet each other "Eid Mubarak" on the day, some sacrifice cows, sheep, or goat to mark the celebration.

Since Eid al-Adha is a Festival of Sacrifice, only a third of the sacrificed livestock is consumed by a family, and the rest is given to the needy. However, the act of charity is not only limited to donating the bigger portion of the meat of the sacrificed animal as many Muslims from around the globe even go to the extent of giving up their most cherished possessions in line with the Eid al-Adha celebrations.

Apart from Eid al-Adha, Muslims are also observing the Hajj this week. In this annual religious event, Muslims find their way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to pay homage to the Ka'ba, which is believed to have been built by Ibrahim during the Biblical times.

All Muslims are required to take part in a pilgrimage to Mecca for at least once in their lives for the observance of the Hajj which already began last night, Aug. 30.