Eid ul-Adha

Eid ul-Adha or Eid al-Adha is the second most important holiday in Islam after Eid al-Fitr. In the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of the month Zulhijjah. The exact date varies according to the Muslim calendar, which follows the lunar cycle.

Eid al-Adha commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as a form of obedience to Allah. According to tradition, however, Allah intervened at the last minute and sent a ram to be sacrificed in place of Ishmael. This event symbolises faith in devotion and obedience to Allah. The story is told in the Qur'an in Sura 37:99-113.

The name «Eid al-Adha» literally means «Feast of Sacrifice». The core of this celebration is the sacrifice of an animal (sheep, goats, camels and other animals) , which is available to Muslims. The meat of the sacrificial animal is then divided into three parts: one third for the family, one third for friends and relatives and one third for the needy and poor. This tradition is meant to emphasise sharing and solidarity with others.

In Saudi Arabia, Eid is a public holiday and is celebrated over three days.

The list below is a conversion from Islamic lunar calendar to Gregorian calendar, it may have variations as regional is determined by sighting of the crescent moon.