Eid al-Adha Day : An Exceptional Day !

Eid al-Adha is a festival of sacrifice. It is celebrated at the end of Hajj. This is the most important celebration in Islam. It takes place on the tenth day of the twelfth and last month (Eid ul-Hijjah) of the Islamic (Hijra) calendar.

This "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is meant to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to The Great Creator, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead.

Relatively speaking, it is an important religious holiday celebrated and rejoiced by muslim community across the globe. The meat is divided into three parts to be distributed to others. The family retains one third of the share, another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors, and the other third is given to the poor and needy.

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The Sunnah of Eid al-Adha

In keeping with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims are encouraged to prepare themselves for the occasion of Eid. Below is a list of things Muslims are recommended to do in preparation for the Eid al-Adha festival:

Wake up early (before sunrise).
Make wudu (ablution) and offer Salat al-Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer).
Prepare for personal cleanliness - take care of details of clothing, etc.
Take a Ghusl (bath) after Fajr prayer.
Brush teeth (preferably with a miswak, or tooth-stick).
Dress up, putting on new or best clothes available (White, when available, is optimal).
Apply (alcohol free) perfume (attar) (men only).
It is Sunnah not to eat anything before going to Eid prayers. Contrast with Eid ul-Fitr when eating dates is recommended. The sacrifice must be done after Eid prayers to be accepted as sacrifice.
Go to the prayer grounds (known as an 'Eidgah') early.
Offer Salat al-Eid (the congregational Eid prayer) in an open place, weather permitting, or in mosque.
Use two separate routes when traveling to and from the Eid prayer location.
Recite the following Takbir which starts at Maghrib (sunset) on the 9th of Dhu al-hijah and last until the Asr on the 12th Dhu al-ilhijah: Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ilaha illa-lah wallahu-Akbar. Allahu-Akbar wa-lillahil-hamd, which translates to: "Allah (God) is the Greatest (3 times); there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and to Him are due all praises."