Eid al-Adha(عيد الأضحى)

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. As the Islamic calendar is lunar, the Gregorian date changes each year, moving approximately 10 to 11 days earlier annually.

Eid al-Adha, known as the 'Festival of Sacrifice,' is the holiest Islamic holiday. It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The celebration coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated across the Muslim world, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, India, the UAE, and Malaysia. It is one of the two major holidays in Islam, observed by approximately 1.8 billion Muslims.

Yes, Eid al-Adha is a public holiday in Muslim-majority countries, often spanning 2 to 3 days. In Saudi Arabia, the government holiday can extend for a full week around this celebration. Many non-Muslim-majority countries also recognize it as an optional or gazetted holiday.

Traditions include the communal Eid prayer, the ritual sacrifice (Qurbani) of an animal such as a lamb, goat, cow, or camel, and dividing the meat into thirds: one portion for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor. Families wear their finest clothing and exchange greetings of 'Eid Mubarak.'