The Hajj ending in Eid-ul-Adha


Eid-ul-Adha (Celebration of Sacrifice), also known as the Greater Eid, is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). It takes place on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. Although only pilgrims to Makkah can celebrate it fully, Muslims elsewhere also mark the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.

The Hajj is the Fifth Pillar of Islam and therefore a very important part of the Islamic faith. All physically fit Muslims who can afford it should make the visit to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in their lives. Every year around 2 million Muslims converge on Makkah. They visit a shrine in the city known as the Kaaba, built by Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma'il (Ishmael) at the command of Allah (God). It is a place for all who want to reaffirm their faith.

Eid-ul-Adha celebrates the occasion when Allah appeared to Ibrahim in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son Isma'il as an act of obedience to God. The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah intervened: instead Allah provided a lamb as the sacrifice. This is why today all over the world Muslims who have the means to, sacrifice a sheep (alternatively a goat or cow can be used), as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to Allah. They usually share out the meat with family and friends, as well as the poorer members of the community. In Britain, the animal has to be killed at a slaughterhouse.

Eid-ul-Adha is a 1-3 day celebration and in Muslim countries is a public holiday. It starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for prayers, dressed in their best clothes, and thanking Allah for all the blessings they have received. It is also a time when they visit family and friends as well as offering presents. At Eid it is obligatory to give a set amount of money to charity to be used to help poor people buy new clothes and food so they too can celebrate.


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Older Comments:
BABANDI A. GUMEL FROM U.K said:
Hajj is real true servitude to Allah showing that you are no
body before Him this is why everyone wears the Ihram which may
be some Hujjaj kafan (shroud) after death. WE know the object of
every ibadah like fasting to get Taqah Salah to restrain from
fashaa and other evils but no satisfactory reason is ostensibly
found in throwing stones and safa and marwa but to copy exactly
what the Prophet did whether we understand or not which is true
servitude an act of obedience beyond intellect.Imam Ghazali said
it is an act of wisdom to obey God in places where intellect
cannot enter and cannot be comprehended.So this is why we all
sacrifice the Hujjaj and the non hujjaj at home.Eid Mubarak to
all our Muslim brothers and sisters and may Allah make us become
the means of hidayah to the entire mankind.
2014-10-05

BABANDI A. GUMEL FROM U.K said:
Eid Mubarak in arrears. Its almost five years since this column was updated. The last Eid Mubarak sent was in 2008 now is 2013 1434 Hijirah.
2013-10-18

BABANDI A. GUMEL FROM U.K said:
Eid Mubarak to all the Staff of the Islamicity as well as our regular visitors to this Universal Islamic Website which brings together the whole Muslim Ummah especially my Dearest Brother Kris Macpherson and his family in Malaysia.I hope everyone celebrates the Eid peacefully and may Allah continue to shower His Special blessings to the Ummah Amen.
2008-12-08

KHANTRY FROM US said:
E I D M U B A R A K

There are three options for all Islamic months, Islamic Observances and Eids:

1)Go with the CALCULATION Calender.

2)Go with the KAABA - Mecca Calender.

3)Go with Moonsighting.-Hillal Committee.

Enough is Enough, This cannot keep going like this.

I make a request: There should be universal ONE decision and has to be made on any weekend conference(Friday-Sunday) before next EID, consisting great Islamic Scholars and Imaams of Mecca, Madina and Jerusalem. Let them discuss and come up with the ONE DECISION by Sunday Noon on same weekend.
2007-12-20