Eid al-Adha, said to be the holier of the two Eids, will see families come together to pray, feast, exchange gifts and celebrate with loved ones. Eid al-Adha is the ‘feast of sacrifice,’ and is nicknamed ‘Big Eid’.
When is Eid al-Adha 2021?
Like Eid al-Fitr, the date of Eid al-Adha depends on the Islamic lunar calendar and the sighting of the crescent moon, signalling the changing month.
Current estimates are that Eid al-Adha will begin on Monday, July 19 and end in the evening of Friday, July 23.
The sighting of the new moon will vary between countries, so the exact date depends on local religious authorities and could yet change.
Read More: Eid 2021: Is Eid on the same day everywhere? Moon sighting explained
But before he could do so, God provided a male goat to sacrifice instead, sparing his son.
In commemoration of this, the slaughtered animal is divided into three parts: one third is given to the poor and needy; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbours; and the remaining third is kept by the family.
Hajj is intended to be an empowering event in a Muslim’s life, with spiritual merit and the opportunity of self-renewal.
Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims, that must be carried out one in their lifetimes by all adults who can physically and financially undertake the journey.
This is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with Shahadah (belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as prophet), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity) and Sawm (fasting).
Each year, millions of Muslims travel to Mecca for Hajj, but this year is expected to be quite different due to the pandemic.
In 2020, Saudi authorities announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pilgrims from outside the Kingdom would not be permitted to enter Saudi Arabia.
The UK government said: “British citizens wishing to perform Umrah or Hajj should follow announcements on FCDO official social media channels @ukinsaudiarabia and guidance from local authorities.
“Before you travel for pilgrimage, you should carefully consider the information and advice on the website of the Saudi Arabia Embassy in London, and in the National Travel Health Network and Centre’s (NaTHNaC) factsheet.”
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