Eid al Adha 2021 : What is Eid al-Adha and how is it celebrated?

Eid al Adha 2021: Muslims across the globe have started celebrating the annual festival of Eid al-Adha – the Festival of Sacrifice – which falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Muslim lunar calendar.

Eid al-Adha is the second major festival after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

Eid will be celebrated in most countries on Wednesday, July 21.

Amid coronavirus pandemic, many Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan have announced restrictions on public gatherings.

Here are five things to know about Eid al-Adha 2021:

Origins 

Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was tested by God who commanded him to sacrifice his first-born son, Ismail.

Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but God stayed his hand. Instead, he was told to sacrifice an animal, likely a lamb or sheep.

End of Hajj

Eid-al-Adha also marks the end of Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage all healthy and financially capable Muslims are obliged to undertake. The Hajj is believed to cleanse the soul of sins and instil a sense of equality, sisterhood and brotherhood.

Around 2.5 million Hajis from around the world gather annually to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the ritual.

Eid prayers

Most Muslims begin celebrating Eid by performing extra prayers in the morning.

Mosques are packed with worshippers on Eid day with outside arrangements made to accommodate large groups of people.

Sacrificing an animal

The occasion of Eid-al-Adha is marked by sacrificing and animal that Muslims can eat – a goat, sheep, cow or camel – by those who can afford to do so.

In many parts of the Muslim world, special livestock markets are set up for people to buy an animal for the Eid sacrifice.

This year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, numerous apps and websites have appeared

Distribution of meat

The animal sacrifice comes with an element of charity and donation, as the person paying for the qurbani is required to distribute part of it needy people.

The meat of the sacrificed animal is divided among three groups: the person sacrificing it and their immediate family, extended family and friends, and those in need.

Some Muslims will pay the value of an animal to one of a number of Muslim charities around the world that collect funds for remote animal sacrifices, distributing the meat to underprivileged groups – including refugees, the elderly and disabled people.

Eid al Adha 2021 : What is Eid al-Adha and how is it celebrated?

Also Read

Eid ul Adha 2021 Mehndi Designs: Latest and beautiful Mehndi Designs, Mehndi Design 2021

Eid ul Adha 2021, Arabic for Festival of the Sacrifice, sometimes called...