Fiest Of Sacrifice

Eid-ul-Adhia is a festival that is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul Hijja and marks the close of the Hajj ceremony or Pilgrimage to the Ka’aba. A Muslim is required to perform the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime, provided that he can afford the cost of the journey, is not indebted to anyone and is not otherwise prevented from performing the Hajj. Those who unable to perform the pilgrimage join in the Eid-ul-Adha ceremony at their own places. The Eid is celebrated with great solemnity and reverence everywhere. Like Eid-ul-Fitr, Muslims make preparations several days before the festival. The animals to be sacrificed are bought well before the Eid day by those who can afford to do so. These animal should be free from all physical defects and should be fully grown. In case of sheep, goat or lamb, one animal suffices for one household, while a cow or a camel can be shared by upto seven families. On the day of the Eid, Muslims assemble in the Eid-gah or in the large mosques of the town for Eid Prayer Service. The Eid Prayer is comprised of two Raka’ats and offered in the same manner as Eid-ul-Fitr. Generally no breakfast is served on this Eid, and those who offer sacrifice do not eat anything until after they have sacrificed the animal. After the prayer the Imam delivers a sermon in which he explains the significance of the festival, giving the details of the sacrifices offered by Prophet Abraham (AS), his wife Hajar (as) and their son Prophet Isma’il (AS). Returning by a different route and singing the praise of Almighty Allah, Muslim worshippers return home and slaughter their animals. On Eid day, Muslims recite the praise of Allah in the following words:Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar La illaha illa Allah, wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa Lillah hil Hamd Translation: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Alah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and All praise belongs to Allah The person who offers the sacrifice is allowed to use a portion of the meat, the remainder is distributed among the relatives, friends, neighbors and the poor. The animals my be sacrificed on the day of the Eid or the two days that follow. Millions of animals are slaughtered all over the world on this occasion. The skins of the slaughtered animals are sold and the proceeds given to different charities. •Philosophy of the Sacrifice: According to the teachings of Islam, the sacrifice of animals is not offered to appease offended deities nor to win their favor as an atonement of sins as was the case of many other nations. The Holy Quran made it quite clear by stating: “Neither the flesh nor the blood of your sacrifices reaches God, but it is the righteous motive underlying them that reaches Him.” (22:37) In other words, the slaughtering of animals is a symbolic expression whereby a Muslim declares his readiness to lay down his own life and everything he owes for the sake of God Almighty. The animal that is sacrificed really stands for the animal in man himself.
•When is it celebrated?Eid-Ul-Adha is observed after the conclusion of the Hajj. The first day of this celebration is held on the 10th day of Duhl-Hijja, which is the last month of the Muslim year. In most areas, the Feast of Sacrifice is celebrated over several days.Islamic months begin at sunset on the day when the lunar crescent appears after the new moon, and can be sighted by the unaided eye . “Visibility depends on a large number of factors including weather condition, the altitude of the moon at sunset, the closeness of the moon to the sun at sunset, the interval between sunset and moonset, atmospheric pollution, the quality of the eyesight of the observer, use of optical aids etc.” As a result, although the phases of the moon can be predicted accurately, the moon's visibility at a given place on Earth cannot be estimated in advance. Thus, the feast day has always been celebrated on different days in various areas of the world.Because the date of the Feast of Sacrifice is determined by a lunar calendar, it is observed about 11 days earlier each year.