All About Eid Al-Adha
A Beginner’s Guide to a Sacred Celebration
What is Eid al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha, also known as “the Feast of Sacrifice,” is one of the two Eids that Muslims celebrate, the other being Eid al-Fitr (covered in another post). Eid al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrahim/Abraham (A.S.) and his son, the Prophet Ismail/Ishmael (A.S.) (more on that below).
To commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), Muslims give Qurbani. Qurbani is when Muslims slaughter an animal , such as a goat, lamb, sheep, or camel, to commemorate how Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) was willing to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail (A.S.), for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.)/God. Allah (S.W.T.) then substituted a lamb to be sacrificed instead of Prophet Ismail (A.S.). The Qurbani meat is then given to friends, family, and the poor.
The Story Behind Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha commemorates the story of Prophet Ibrahim/Abraham (A.S.), who saw a dream in which he was shown to be sacrificing his son Prophet Ismail/Ishmael (A.S.) by the command of Allah (S.W.T.)/God.
The Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) knew that the dreams of Prophets are true, and so this dream was a command of Allah (S.W.T.).
Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) went to his son Prophet Ismail (A.S.) and told him about the dream, and Prophet Ismail (A.S.) said, “ My dear father, if it is an order from Allah, then do it. If Allah wills, you will find me calm and steadfast.”
Satan tried, three times, to stop them from following the orders of Allah, but each time the prophets Ibrahim (A.S.) and Ismail (A.S.) threw rocks at Satan, which is why the pilgrims at hajj throw rocks during the days of Eid, to commemorate how the prophets obeyed Allah (S.W.T), despite the efforts of Satan to mislead them.
Prophet Ismail (A.S.) lay down, ready to be sacrificed , and Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) was prepared to sacrifice his son. At that moment Allah (S.W.T.) said that the dream had been a test of faith and that they had passed. Then Allah (S.W.T.) replaced Ismail (A.S.) with a lamb, allowing Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) to sacrifice a lamb instead of his son.
When Muslims sacrifice animals during Eid al-Adha, it is commemorating the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), who was prepared to give up his precious son for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.), and reminds Muslims that they, too, need to submit to the command of Allah (S.W.T.).
When is Eid al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha starts on the 10th Day of Dhul Hijjah, after the day of Arafah (9th of Dhul Hijjah), and lasts for three days.
This year, Eid al-Adha starts on the 6th of June 2025 in most countries but on the 7th of June 2025 in Pakistan and some other countries and lasts until the 8th or 9th of June, depending on the sighting of the moon .
Activities During Eid Al Adha
Congratulate each other: Muslims usually greet each other with greetings of celebration. A common phrase is “Eid Mubarak,” which means” have a blessed Eid.
Wear the best/new clothes and smell good: On the day of Eid, Muslims usually wear their best or newest clothes because it is a day of celebration. Muslims are also encouraged to purify themselves by having a shower before going to the mosque for the Eid prayer.
Eid Prayer: The Eid prayer is a special prayer done on the days of Eid. The Eid prayer is special because it's encouraged to be done at the mosque to foster a sense of community and gratitude. One hadith/narration of the Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH/ﷺ ) encourages Muslims to go to the mosque one way and take a different road on the way back home.
Qurbani : When Muslims sacrifice an animal, usually a lamb, cow, goat, etc., for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). Usually the head of the household does it on behalf of his family, but it can be done individually. The meat is then distributed into thirds: One third for family, one third for friends and neighbors, and one third for charity.
Throwing Rocks at the Jamarat: For those who are on Hajj, this is the first day where the pilgrims throw rocks at stone structures in Mina, commemorating how Prophet Ibrahi (A.S.) and Prophet Ismail (A.S.) threw rocks at the Satan when Satan tried to stop them from obeying the command of Allah (S.W.T)
Eid al-Adha is a time for worship, celebration, community, and sacrifice. This festival commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) and reminds Muslims that they, too, need to submit to the command of Allah (S.W.T.). It is a time filled with community and family spirit, both within the immediate community and around the world.
What’s one thing you learned about Eid Al Adha that surprised you? If you have any questions or would like to share a similar tradition from your faith or culture, I’d love to hear! Drop your thoughts in the comments!
If you’re curious about Eid al-Fitr (the other Eid) or Hajj, you can check out some of the articles below
And eid mubarak kashaf 🤍