Eid al-Adha

Overview

Eid al-Adha (عيد الأضحى), the Festival of Sacrifice, is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah and is considered the greater of the two Eids. It commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Isma'il in obedience to Allah's command, and Allah's substitution of a ram in his place (Quran 37:102-107).

The Udhiyah (Sacrifice)

The sacrificial animal (udhiyah or qurbani) is a strongly emphasized sunnah according to the majority of scholars, and obligatory according to the Hanafi school for those who can afford it. The animal must be a sheep, goat, cow, or camel that meets minimum age requirements. It is slaughtered after the Eid prayer on the 10th, 11th, or 12th of Dhul Hijjah. The meat is traditionally divided into thirds: one for the family, one for relatives and neighbors, and one for the poor.

Eid Prayer

Like Eid al-Fitr, it consists of two rak'ahs with extra takbirat, performed in the open air. The khutbah follows the prayer. During the days of Eid al-Adha (10th-13th Dhul Hijjah), Muslims recite the takbirat al-tashreeq after every obligatory prayer: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahil-hamd.'

Days of Tashreeq

The 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul Hijjah are called the Days of Tashreeq. Fasting on these days is prohibited. They are days of eating, drinking, and remembering Allah (Sahih Muslim 1141).