by Krissa Stewart, Library Intern
Eid al-Adha is the second and holier of the two Muslim holidays celebrated worldwide every year. Eid al-Adha 2017 in the United States begins in the evening of Thursday, August 31 and ends in the evening of Friday, September 1. Called the Sacrifice Feast, Eid al-Adha honors Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, as an act of submission to Allah’s command. Eid al-Adha is celebrated with the sacrifice of a ram, cow, or lamb using the Islamic rules of animal slaughter. The meat is then split into three different portions. One is given to the poor, another to family and friends, and the final portion is kept with the family who slaughtered the animal to be eaten at home. Muslims also participate in Eid prayers at their local mosque in a congregational setting.
