The Islamic festival of Eid Al-Adha, or "Festival of Sacrifice" follows close on the heels of the first Eid festival of the year, Eid Al-Fitr. The Arabic word "Adha"means "sacrifice", having its root in the word "duha", which also means "light" or "illumination".
After Ramadan, the month of Shawwaal ensues, in which most Muslims fast 6 days. This month is followed by Dhul Qa'dah, which is the month in which most of the Muslims who intend to perform Hajj, start their preparations for the trip, and eventually reach Saudi Arabia. After the month of Dhul Qa'dah, comes the month of "Dhul Hijjah", which literally means, "Of the Hajj". This is the month in which Muslims perform Hajj, which is closely linked to the global festival of Eid Al-Adha celebrated by other Muslims all over the world.
On the tenth of Dhul Hijjah, pilgrims in Mina, Saudi Arabia, sacrifice an animal for the sake of Allah. Please refer to the article How To Perform Hajj for more details about the Hajj and its rituals. On the same day, Muslims elsewhere in the world celebrate the festival of Eid Al-Adha, in which those who can afford to, also sacrifice an animal to gain Allah's pleasure, embodying the sacrifice made by Prophet Abraham [peace be upon him] when he was ordered by Allah in his dream to sacrifice his son Ismael [peace be upon him], to which he complied. His spirit of unflinching submission to Allah is epitomized every year as Muslims indulge in a similar sacrifice. Eid Al-Adha is celebrated in more or less the same way as Eid Al-Fitr, except that an animal is sacrificed on this Eid.
Buy and rear a sacrificial animal:
The Muslim who can afford to, should buy a sacrificial animal well before Eid. This could be a male ram, goat, sheep, cow, or a camel. The more beloved and dear the animal is to its owner, the more meaningful will be its sacrifice.
This animal should be taken care of, fed well, respected (it should not be harmed, or ridiculed in any manner) and nurtured until the time of sacrifice. Alternatively, if the Muslim can not afford a separate ram or goat for himself (or herself), scholars have allowed 7 Muslims to share in one cow. Gain knowledge of the sacrifice ritual: Muslims should be well-aware of the correct etiquette and steps of religious sacrifice, by seeking knowledge of Islam pertaining to this ritual. That is, the owners should educate themselves in the Islamic rules of slaughter, and be present to supervise this ritual.
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