Bakrid is round the corner. Muslims in some parts of the world are celebrating Eid al-Adha on Saturday, 9 July, while some will celebrate on Sunday, 10 July. This weekend marks the beginning of the 3-day Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Eid al- Adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, the first being Eid al-Fit, which took place 70 days ago in May. Muslims consider Eid al-Adha to be one of the holiest and most important festivals of the year. Eid-al-Adha commemorates the devotion of Prophet Ibrahim to Allah, as he was willing to sacrifice his son, Ismail.
Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of the final month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar, also known as Dhu-al-Hijjah. The final month of Islamic calendar began on Thursday, 30 June. Eid al-Adha falls a day after Arafat- when the pilgrims return from Mount Arafat at Mecca in Saudi Arabia during Hajj.
Know the dates of Eid al-Adha in India, Saudi Arabia and other countries.
Date and Time of Moon Sighting: India, Saudi Arabia & Other Countries
Muslims in most parts of India celebrate Eid al-Adha a day after the people of Saudi Arabia celebrate the festival. According to to the Saudi Press Agency, this year, the Dhu-al-Hijjah moon was sighted on 29 June in Saudi Arabia and the first day of Eid al-Adha was marked on 9 July, Saturday.
The crescent moon of Dhu-al-Hijjah was sighted in India on 30 June, marking the day of the festival on 10 July, a day after it is celebrated in Saudi Arabia. Besides India, other countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Sultanate of Brunei, and Hong Kong will also mark the Eid-al-Adha celebrations from 10 July.
The festival of Eid-al-Adha is all about sacrifice and love. It commemorates the occasion when God replaced Prophet Ibrahim’s son Ismail with a ram, who had to be sacrificed in place of his son. The original command from Allah was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s commitment towards Him. Hence Eid-al-Adha signifies the festival of sacrifice.
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