Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, is a Muslim holiday celebrated on the tenth day of the final month of the Muslim calendar. This highly praised religious holiday is celebrated worldwide to commemorate the willingness of ancient Muslim leader Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. As a reward for Abraham’s obedience, God intervened and provided him with a ram to sacrifice instead.
A typical Eid al-adha begins with a Wajib prayer followed by a sermon. Families then proceed to sacrifice an adult animal that has been approved by the Sharia, the sacred law of Islam. The meat gained from the sacrifice is split into three parts to be shared amongst others. The first goes to the family to whom the sacrificed animal belongs to, the second is shared amongst family, friends and relatives, and the third is given to the poor and needy. Eid al-Adha is very important to Muslims all around the world. Most Muslim countries give students anywhere from four to fifteen days off from school to celebrate this holiday.