Next week will see thousands of Muslims across the region celebrating Eid al-Adha. However, this won't be the first Eid that was celebrated this year.
Back in April, thousands of people flocked to Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield for Eid prayer to commemorate the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In Islam, Eid simply means 'festival' or 'feast' and while the Islamic calendar features two of them they are celebrated for very different reasons.
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What is the difference between Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr means 'the feast of breaking the fast' and is celebrated when Muslims complete the holy month of Ramadan in which they abstain from eating food or drinking liquid for 30 days. A very important month where fasting is mandatory, Ramadan is also a time for worshippers to bring themselves closer to God and focus on becoming a better person and Muslim.
The meaning of Eid al-Adha is the 'feast of the sacrifice' and is celebrated around two months after Eid al-Fitr. The three day festival takes place at the end of Hajj, which is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam.
The Hajj pilgrimage takes around five days to complete and is considered an integral part of a Muslim's life. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and is seen as a duty to attend for those who can afford to do so, for many it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Due to it's connection to Hajj and Mecca, Eid al-Adha is seen as the holier of the two Eids.
Why is Eid al-Adha called the 'feast of sacrifice'?
Eid al-Adha received it's name due to the story of Prophet Ibrahim. In the Qur'an Prophet Ibrahim has a dream in which Allah tells him to sacrifice his son Ismael to test his obedience to God.
In the story, the devil tries to convince Ibrahim not to go through with the sacrifice but, devoted to his faith, Prophet Ibrahim does not listen and drives the devil away. However, just as he is about to kill his son, Allah sends an angel to earth to stop Ibrahim, offering a sheep to sacrifice instead.
How is Eid al-Adha celebrated?
On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims who are able to do so, mirror the behaviour of the prophet. They slaughter animals such as sheep, cows and goats in the name of Allah, and share it amongst family, friends and the needy.
On the first day of celebration Muslims also perform a communal prayer, much like Eid al-Fitr. The following days the celebrations consist of feasting, giving to charity and spending time with family.
