Eid Al-Adha, the Greater Eid
Considered as the Greater Eid, the Eid Al-Adha is Islam's holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries. Will be celebrated on 10th day of Dhu Al-Hijaah (Islamic Month) on 10 or 11 September 2016.
On the eve of Eid, Muslims greet each other with Eid cards but the tradition of sending cards is now becoming an old trend. Muslims now prefer sending Eid Mubarak SMS or messages on social media like WhatsApp and Facebook to express Eid wishes to friends and relatives.Even the non-Muslims also greet and extend their well wishes for Eid festival through these Eid
Mubarak messages.
Like Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha begins with a sunnah prayer of two rakats followed by a sermon (khutbah). Eid Al-Adha celebrations start after the descent of the Hujjaj, the pilgrims performing the Hajj, from Mount Arafat, a hill east of Mecca.
Eid sacrifice may take place until sunset on the 13th day of Dhu Al-Hijjah. Eid Al-Adha, which lasts for four days, honors the willingness of the Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his first-born son Ismail as an act of submission to God’s command. According to Islamic tradition, the valley of Mecca (in present-day Saudi Arabia) was a dry, rocky, and uninhabited place.
God instructed Abraham to bring Hagar his wife, and Ismaiel to the Arabia from the land of Canaan. As Abraham was preparing for his return journey back to Canaan, Hagar asked him, "Did God order you to leave us here? Or are you leaving us here to die?" Abraham did not even look back. He just nodded, afraid that he would be too sad and that he would disobey God. Hagar said, "Then God will not waste us; you can go". Though Abraham had left a large quantity of food and water with Hagar and Ismaiel, the supplies quickly ran out, and within a few days the two began to feel the pangs of hunger and dehydration.
Hagar ran up and down between two hills, al-Safa and Al-Marwah, seven times, in her desperate quest for water. Exhausted, she finally collapsed beside her baby Ismaiel and prayed to God for deliverance. Miraculously, a spring of water gushed forth from the earth at the feet of baby Ismaiel . Other accounts have the angel Gabriel, striking the earth and causing the spring to flow in abundance. With this secure water supply, known as the Zamzam Well, they were not only able to provide for their own needs, but were also able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.
We Wish You All A Very Happy and Peaceful Eid.
