Celebrating Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Zil Hijjah, the twelfth and the last month of the Islamic calendar. It is a very joyous day; it is a feast of self-sacrifice, commitment and obedience to Allah (swt). It commemorates the great act of obedience to Allah (swt) by the Prophet Ibrahim (asws) in showing his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael (asws). Allah (swt) accepted his sacrifice and replaced Prophet Ismael (asws) with a lamb. Although Hajj has no relation with the Eid al-Adha, the five days long rituals of Hajj are also done during this month culminating on 9th of ZilHijjah. Many rituals of Hajj are symbolic enactments of the struggle of the family of Ibrahim (asws), especially his second wife, Hajirah (ra) and her son, Prophet Ismael (asws). Those who have enough wealth to pay Zakah must offer the sacrifice for Allah (swt). It is the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim (asws) and a strongly recommended Sunnah. A lamb, sheep, goat, cow, buffalo, or camel can be offered as the sacrifice. There are seven shares in a cow, buffalo and camel. The sacrifice should be accomplished by slaughtering the animal after Salah-al-Eid.
- “The Prophet (saws) came to Madinah and the people of Madinah had, in Jahiliyyah two days for play and amusement. So the Prophet (saws) said: ‘I came to you and you had, in Jahiliyyah two days for play and amusement. Indeed, Allah has replaced them for you by that which is better than them: the Dav of Nahr (Slaughtering the sacrificial animal) and the Day of Fitr (Breaking fast).’” ~ Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, al-Baghawi.
- ‘Aishah (ra) narrated that during the days of Mina, on the day of ‘Eid al-Adha, two girls were with her, singing and playing on a hand drum. The Prophet (saws) was present, listening to them with his head under a shawl. Abu Bakr (ra) then entered and scolded the girls. The Prophet (saws), uncovering his face, told him, “Let them be, Abu Bakr. These are the days of ‘Eid.” ~ Bukhari and Muslim
- Umm Atiyah(ra) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded us to bring out on Eid-al- Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young women, hijab-observing adult women and the menstruating women. The menstruating women stayed out of actual Salah, but participated in good deeds and Du’a(supplication). I (Umm Atiyah) said to the Holy Prophet (saws): ‘O Messenger of Allah!One does not have an outer garment.’ He replied: ‘Let her sister cover her with her garment.’”~ Muslim
- Narrated Abu Ubaid: “I was present for Eid with Umar bin Khattab. He started with the prayer before the sermon, and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade fasting on these two days, the Day of Fitrand the Day of Adha. As for the Day ofFitr, it is the day when you break your fast, and on the Day of Adhayou eat the meat of your sacrifices.’” ~ Ibn Majah
- Ibn Abbas (ra) reported: “I participated in the Salah al-Eid-al-Fitr with Allah’s Messenger (saws), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Uthman (ra), and all of them held Salah al-Eid before the Khutbah, and [it was following the Salah al-Eid] that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) delivered the Khutbah (sermon).”~ Muslim
- Narrated Al-Bara: “The Prophet went towards Al-Baqi (the grave-yard at Madinah) on the day of Eid-ul-Adha and offered a two-Rakat prayer (of Eid-ul-Adha) and then faced us and said, ‘On this day of ours, our first act of worship is the offering of prayer and then we will return and slaughter the sacrifice, and whoever does this concords with our Sunnah; and whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before that (i.e., before the prayer) then that was a thing which he prepared earlier for his family and it would not be considered as a Nusuk (sacrifice.)’ A man stood up and said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! I slaughtered (the animal before the prayer), but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep.’ The Prophet (saws) said to him, ‘Slaughter it. But a similar sacrifice will not be sufficient for anybody else after you.’ ~ Bukhari
- Narrated Ibn Umar: “The Prophet (saws) used to Nahr(or slaughter sacrifices) at the Musalla (on Eid-ul-Adha).” ~ Bukhari
- Narrated Ibn Abbas: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to have a bath on the day of Fitr and the day of Adha.” ~ Ibn Majah
- ‘A’isha (ra) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) would say Takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adha; seven Takbeers in the first Rak’ah and five Takbeers in the second.” ~ Abu Dawud
- Narrated Ibn Shihab: “Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray on the day of Fitr and the day of Adha before theKhutba.” ~ Muwatta
- It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: “When the companions of the Prophet (saws) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another, ‘Taqabbal Allah MinnawaMinkum’ (i.e., May Allah accept from us and from you).” ~ Fath-ul-Bari: Ibn Hajar said its Isnad is Hasan
- Narrated QazaaMaula(freed slave of) Ziyad: “I heard Abu Said Al-Khudri narrating four things from the Prophet and I appreciated them very much. He said, conveying the words of the Prophet: ‘(1) A woman should not go on a two day journey except with her husband or a Dhi-Mahram. (2) No fasting is permissible on two days – ‘Id-ul-Fitr and ‘Id-ul-Adha. (3) No prayer after two prayers, i.e., after the Fajr prayer till the sunrises and after the ‘Asr prayer till the sun sets. (4) Do not prepare yourself for a journey (to a mosque) except to three Mosques, i.e., Al-Masjid AI-Haram, the Mosque of Aqsa (Jerusalem) and my Mosque.’” ~ Bukhari
