How do different countries celebrate Eid al-Adha?
How do different countries celebrate Eid al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha, also known as “Feast of Sacrifice” or “Big Eid”, is an Islamic religious festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to follow God’s command to sacrifice his son. Muslims around the world observe this event.
This report shows how different countries celebrate Eid al-Adha.
Iran
Iranian Muslims dress smartly and attend Eid prayers, Namaz Eid, at local mosques and on open grounds. Religious readings will be read all over the country.
In remembrance of this event, cattle, camels, sheep and other livestock are killed and the meat is given out to the poor, family and friends as gifts. The portions are split equally between the different sets of people. This is carried out as an act of sacrifice to show gratitude of the blessings given by Allah. Anyone who watches the animal slaughterings is asked to make donations to charities to help those in need to buy new clothes and food.
Eid al-Adha is known as the ‘salty Eid’ for food, as a larger variety of its dishes are savoury and formed of beef or mutton, depending on what animal has been slaughtered. The meat is used to make various kebabs and haleem, a stew made of wheat or barley and meat. Alongside the meat dishes, Iranians eat baghali, rice with fava, broad beans and dill.
UAE
To begin with, the day that Eid-Al-Adha will fall on can be determined on the moon cycle sighting up to ten days before hand, falling on the 10th day of the Islamic month – Dhul Hijjah, unlike Eid-ul-Fitr which is based on sighting the moon the night before. This gives the family much more time to prepare for the festivities, and there is no last minute dash to the supermarket to buy the milk for your Doodh Khurmo. Every year the UAE government grants a public holiday of at least three days, the most important one being the day before Eid-Al-Adha, called Day of Arafat.
For Muslims not taking part in Hajj, they can still reap the rewards by fasting on the Day of Arafat as it is believed that fasting on this auspicious day “absolves the sins of two years, the previous year and the coming year”, which is a great opportunity for Muslims.
Eid-Al-Adha begins with the Eid Prayer on the grounds of Eidgah, and as they congratulate each other with hugs and saying “Eid Mubarak”. After that the three day feast begins, with food and “Eidi” gifts galore. Children often dress up in their best clothes and offer Eid biscuits around the neighbourhood. They celebrate by decorating their homes with Eid banners and carry on the tradition of gifting “Eidi” to the younger family members. This is followed by long distance phone calls, as well as Skype calls, to family members and an enormous breakfast including delicacies such as Doodh Khurmo, also known as Sheer Khurmo.
Having adorned their hands with mhendi the night before to get in the festive spirit and after a grand Eid lunch at home, they all dress up in their best clothes to spend quality time as a family, either at another family member’s home or out and about in the shopping malls or latest attraction in the UAE. In the Eid season, the UAE has plenty of offers and great deals available to take advantage of, and it is quite common for families to enjoy the Eid holiday at a local resort over the course of the holidays or simply enjoy dinner at a lavish new restaurant.
Whichever way UAE people may be spending Eid-Al-Adha, the notion of sacrifice and charity is at the forefront of their thoughts. The celebrations are a great reminder of the blessings they have in their lives and a chance to give back to those that would benefit more from their actions.
Canada
Eid al-Adha is celebrated in Muslim communities throughout Canada around the 10th to the 13th days of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (or Dhul Hijja). It is a time marked by special prayers and many Muslims gather for special prayer services. Many people also visit family and friends, exchange greetings and gifts, and make donations to the poor and needy. Eid al-Adha is also a time for forgiveness and compassion.
The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) holds Eid festivals to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The Eid Festivals offer celebrations including a carnival of fun rides, shows, sport tournaments and various international cuisines. Thousands of people, including key leaders, often attend these events. Some politicians publicly announce their best wishes to those celebrating Eid al-Adha. Festivities can last for up to a few days. Some Muslims in Canada may travel to Mecca prior to Eid al-Adha to make this pilgrimage.
Eid al-Adha is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada. However, some Islamic organizations may be closed or offer a reduced level of service and there may be some local traffic congestion around mosques and venues where Eid al-Adha celebrations are held.
India
Eid al-Adha is called Id-ul-Adha in Arabic and Bakr-Id in the Indian subcontinent, because of the tradition of sacrificing a goat or “bakri” in Urdu. The word “id” derived from the Arabic “iwd” means “festival” and “zuha” comes from “uzhaiyya” which translates to “sacrifice”.
Id-ul-Zuha is a festival that is celebrated with traditional fervor and gaiety in India and the world. Many Muslims wear new clothes and attend an open-air prayer meeting during Id-ul-Zuha. They may sacrifice a sheep or goat and share the meat with family members, neighbors and the poor. Many Muslims feel that they have a duty to ensure that all Muslims can enjoy a meat based meal during this holiday.
Turkey
The Sacrifice Feast is one of the oldest Islamic holidays in Turkey. According to old belief it is unlucky to get married or start a new business in the period between these two holidays.
Traditionally, on the first day of the Sacrifice Feast in Turkey, men of each family go to a mosque for a special morning prayer. Then the sacrifice ritual begins. In some regions in Turkey, people paint the sacrificial animal with henna and adorn it with ribbons. The butcher reads a prayer before slaughtering the animal. Families share about two-thirds of the animal’s meat with relatives and neighbors, and they traditionally give about one-third to the poor.
In recent years, some Turkish people started making donations to charity organizations instead of sacrificing animals. Many people in Turkey take special care to help the poor during the Sacrifice Feast.
People usually wear their best clothes during the Sacrifice Feast. They welcome guests to their homes or visit relatives or friends during the holiday. Many people in Turkey reserve the first day of the feast for visiting their closest relatives. Young people greet their older relatives and neighbors by kissing their hand as a sign of respect. Some people in Turkey may use the four-day holiday to go on a vacation.
The common symbols of the Sacrifice Feast in Turkey are a ram (or a sheep) and a mosque.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, Eid ul-Adha is a four-day event celebrated every year on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of “Dhul Hajji”. The festive days witness most local business houses and shops being closed. The occasion begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon. Every Pakistani who can afford it, sacrifice an animal in honour of the Almighty, distributing its meat to friends, family and the poor.
Bangladesh
Here Eid-ul Adha (‘Id-ul Adha) is also known as “Kurbanir Eid” or “Bakri Eid”. The occassion is observed here as both a religious and a festal one. Almost a month before the festival, preparations for Eid-ul Adha begins in earnest and each day leading to the occassion has local sweet shops, gift centres and cloth stores readying themselves with stuff lapped up by millions across the country. “Qurbani” or animal sacrifice is considered here by many as a “sunnah” (an obligatory religious performance). The animals picked to be slaughtered must be of a particular age and should not have any impairment, or the sacrifice is to be considered an imperfect one. While cows, goats and buffaloes are generally chosen for the rite, camels are also specially imported by some Bangladeshis for this purpose. The time of sacrifice begins right after the “namaz” (prayer ceremony) of the first day of Eid-ul Adha and continues up to the sunset of the next two/three days.
Morocco
Eid-ul-Adha is known in Morocco as ”Eid el-Kbir”. The Moroccan celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is similar to its observances in other countries. As in elsewhere, animal sacrifices are carried out in Morocco as a dedication to the Lord. Generally a cow, sheep or a ram is slaughtered and its meat is then distributed among the poor people. The festive days have people visiting their nearest mosques for prayer services and sermons, following which people visit each other’s homes and relish festive meals together.
Egypt
In Egypt, “Eid ul-Adha” has a greater significance than “Eid ul Fitr”. Eid Ul Adha is better known as Eid el-Kibr in Egypt. The festival marks Prophet Ibraham’s sacrifice of his son Ishmael before God. Pleased with this sacrifice, God replaced Abraham’s son with a sheep and made the boy alive again. Apart from being a commemoration of this legendary incident, “Eid ul-Adha” also marks the end of the Hajj (the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) and thus, great importance is attached to the occassion. Referred to as “Eid el-Kbir” here, the festival is annually observed during the auspicious Islamic month of “Dhul Hijja”.
During the days of the celebration, Muslims across the country wake up and head to their local mosques for their “salah” (prayer). This is followed by a sermon after which, people meet up with their friends and dear ones and wish each other “kol sana wa inta tayeb”. Roughly translated, this means “I hope every year finds you well”. Feasts are a highly anticipated aspect of Eid ul-Adha, as of Eid ul Fitr. All over the country, poor people look forward to this occassion as this is a time they can beef and mutton, freely provided to them by the wealthy and also by various charitable organizations.
UK
On Eid ul-Adha, Muslims in the UK usually start the day by performing ghusl, a full-body purification ritual. They then dress in their finest outfits and attend a prayer service at an outdoor prayer ground or the local mosque. Afterward, it is customary to embrace and wish each other Eid Mubarak, which translates as “have a blessed Eid,” give gifts to children, and visit friends and relatives.
One of the central rituals on Eid al-Adha is qurbani, the act of sacrificing a sheep, goat, or cow. According to Islamic rules, the animal must be an adult and in good health, while British law mandates that the animal must be killed in an official slaughterhouse. The meat is then divided between family, friends, and the poor. Other Muslims give money to charity to give poorer families the chance to have a proper Eid feast. Mosques or other groups may arrange communal meals.
Eid ul-Adha has a celebratory character, and the day may be rounded off by visiting funfairs or festivals held for the occasion in some British cities.
Initiatives to improve the quality of life or opportunities in Muslim communities around the United Kingdom may be launched on Eid ul-Adha. Some mosques also hold study days or lectures on aspects of Islam and Islamic history.
USA
Many Muslims in the United States celebrate Eid al-Adha with prayers and social gatherings. The Eid al-Adha services can attract thousands of Muslims in various places such as Chicago (Illinois) and Orlando (Florida). Many Muslims of many heritages, including Pakistan, as well as Eastern European and African countries, wear traditional clothes and share their national dishes. It is a time for prayer, sharing meals, handing out gifts and wishing one another well.
Some Muslims seek out a farm where they can carry out the sacrifice, but many also send money to their native lands to help fund a sacrifice. Eid al-Adha lasts for up to three days and is a time to seek mercy from God.
Tunisia
Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, is a public holiday in Tunisia as in other predominantly Muslim countries.
In Tunisia, mostly men go to mosque early on Eid morning to pray and hear a sermon, while women stay home and prepare for the feast and festivities. When the men return home, it’s time to sacrifice a sheep, goat, or other animal for the feast. A third of the meat is kept by the family, a third given to relatives, and a third given to the poor.
Also, people bake special Eid biscuits to give as gifts on this day, and children are often given presents of cookies and other sweets.