Happy Eid ul Adha........
Bakra Eid or Eid al-Adha is one of the major religious
festivals celebrated every year by the Muslim community across the
world as per the Hijri calendar. Just like Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr,
Bakra Eid too is celebrated with grand enthusiasm and magnificence. This
holy occasion is observed from the 10th to the 12th day of the twelfth
month of Dhul Hijjah in the Islamic calendar. The festival commemorates
the faith of Prophet Ibrahim in God, when he agreed to sacrifice his son
upon the order by God. People wear new and clean clothes, offer
prayers, greet one another and move ahead for sacrificing domestic
animals. These animals are slaughtered and the meat is distributed to
the needy and among family and friends. Read on further to know more
about what Bakra Eid is and the importance of celebrating it.
What Is Eid al-Adha
The Holy Quran perfectly explains the significance of celebrating Eid
al-Adha with such immense splendor and grandeur. On the pretext of
testing Prophet Ibrahim’s faith, God appeared in Ibrahim’s dreams and
asked him to sacrifice his most beloved possession. Ibrahim truly loved
his son, Ismail and hence, had no option but to sacrifice him. Thus,
Ibrahim along with Ismail started making their way up to the mount of
Mina near Mecca. As it was impossible to see his son dying in front of
his eyes, Ibrahim blindfolded himself and raised the sharp sword. While
reciting Allah’s name, Ibrahim beheaded his son. He opened his eyes and
was surprised at the sight.
To his surprise, his son Ismail was standing healthy nearby him and a
dead ram was lying in a pool of blood in front of him. As such, Ibrahim
emerged as a winner in the eyes of God for his strong faith and belief
in the almighty. Thus, this day is celebrated as Eid al-Adha by the
entire Muslim community across the globe to honor Ibrahim’s complete
obedience towards God. The day is commemorated by slaughtering domestic
animals, such as goat, sheep, lamb, camel, buffalo and so on. This meat
is divided into three parts. While the first is eaten by the family, the
second is distributed amongst relatives and the third part is given to
the poor and needy.
This holy festival of Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of the
month of Dhul Hijjah (twelfth and last month) of the Hijri calendar
followed by the Muslims. The celebrations are spread across three days
from the 10th to the 12th day. These celebrations begin after the
completion of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage performed by Muslims in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hajj serves as one of the five pillars of Islam.
This means, a Muslim has to perform Hajj at least once during their
lifetime, unless they are debarred due to lack of finances or
ill-health. This pilgrimage is performed to get rid of all sins and
become more obedient and spiritual towards God.
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