Eid al Adha

Eid-al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, is one of the most important Islamic holidays and commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son to God. Just as Ibrahim was about to kill Ishmael, God instructed him to sacrifice a ram in his place. Muslims celebrate Ibrahim’s obedience to God and vow to be like him.

Who celebrates?

Muslims around the world.

How do people celebrate?

• It marks the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
• It is a time of celebration when families and communities gather, share gifts and visit the graves of loved ones
• The day begins with morning prayers before the festivities begin.

What should I know?

• It is not to be confused with Eid al Fitr which is a separate Muslim celebration
• Eid-al-Adha is not directly related to the Hajj but simply comes the day after it
• The beginning of the celebrations is dependent upon a legitimate citing of the moon
• In 2011 census, 4.8% of the population identified as Muslim.

How can I support others?

• Ask people if they or their families will be celebrating and be aware that they may take holiday during this time
• If people are celebrating, you can wish them ‘Eid Murbarak’ which means ‘blessed Eid’
• Do not assume if someone’s family is Muslim that they will be celebrating
• Do not schedule major internal or external events on these days
• Talk to your team about the religious representation among your volunteer, employee and service user population and if it’s representative of your area.

Al Jazeera: Eid al Ahda info: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/7/31/what-is-eid-al-adha-and-how-is-it-celebrated

Eid al Adha recipes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/recipes_for_eid_al-adha

BBC: What is Eid al Adha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99zqgHUzUU