Today Muslims across the world are celebrating Eid ul Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice. In the Islamic calendar there are two festivals – Eid ul Adha, and Eid ul Fitr. Although both are equally important times in the Islamic calendar – one is considered significantly more holy than the other, let us have a look why and which is that. There are many similar aspects of the celebrations in terms of how they are celebrated, but they are focused on completely different areas of Islam.
What is the difference between Eid ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr?
Eid ul Fitr comes first in the Islamic calendar, in the 10th month which is called Shawwal. This festival is different to Eid ul Adha, because it marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan sees Muslims fast during daylight hours to become closer to God. This happens the month before Eid ul Fitr, in the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.
Directly translated Eid al-Fitr means “the feast of the breaking of the fast”. Although it changes with the lunar calendar each year, it was celebrated mid-June this year. Muslims celebrate by braking the fast with a big feast, meet with their friends and family, pray at the Mosque and exchange gifts.
During Eid ul Fitr you have a feast to break the fast This takes place on the 10th ay of the 12th and last month of the year – called Dhul Hijjah. Dhul Hijsah is one of the holiest months of the Islamic calendar, and it is also the month when Hajj takes place. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, which able-bodies Muslims are supposed to complete once in their lifetime. While Eid ul Fitr celebrates the breaking of the fast, Eid ul Adha is known as the Festival of Sacrifice.
It basis itself on a story in the Quran where the prophet Ibrahim was commanded by God to sacrifice the thing that meant the most to him – his son Ismael. Ibrahim and his wife travelled to Mecca to carry out the sacrifice, and where met with distractions. Despite being prompted by the Devil to break his promise to God, they carried on. Just as Ibrahim was about to slaughter his son, Allah replaced him with a ram. Ibrahim, who was blindfolded, sacrificed the ram instead. Today people sacrifice various animals in the name of God, honouring the tradition by Ibrahim.
The meat is divided into three parts – one part is shared with friends, family and neighbours, the second is for the poor, and the third is for yourself and your immediate family.
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