Eid al-Adha, one of the biggest days in the Muslim calendar, has arrived. The "Festival of Sacrifice" will begin on Saturday, July 9, around two months after Eid al-Fitr.
This year's Eid al-Adha will be the first time that the second and "greater" of the two Eids has been celebrated without any legal Covid-19 restrictions since the pandemic began in 2020. Millions of people around the world will celebrate it, beginning on 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar.
It also falls on the third day of Hajj, an annual five or six-day pilgrimage that millions of Muslims make in Saudi Arabia to Mecca and the sacred site of the Ka'bah. Thousands of British Muslims make the pilgrimage every year.
READ MORE: Hajj and Umrah 2022: essential tips to avoid pilgrimage travel rip-off
The origins of Eid al-Adha are in the story of the prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice of his son Ismael, which is also a familiar part of both the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish Torah. The holiday celebrates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, which was rewarded by Allah who gave Ibrahim a lamb to sacrifice in his place.
Because of this Qurbani – the sacrifice of an animal to Allah – is one of the core elements of the holiday. Qurbani involves the sacrifice of a lamb, sheep, goat, cow, bull, or camel.
Qurbani is generally seen as compulsory in most schools of thought in Sunni Islam. It's obligatory for adult Muslims who possess wealth above the Nisab value (determined based on the value of gold and silver and calculated at around £4,000 for gold and £350 for silver).
Some Muslims have their Qurbani sent to their home but (especially in Western countries like the UK) many donate the meat and have it distributed to those in need. It's possible to undertake more than one Qurbani in order to have the meat delivered around the world via a charity.
Muslims in the UK and other Western countries do not sacrifice the animals themselves – instead it's done in an designated slaughterhouse. Other celebrations of Eid al-Adha include dressing in new fine outfits, big family gatherings, gift-giving, and communal prayer services.
Why is the date of Eid al-Adha different every year?
The date of Eid al-Adha isn't certain and will vary from one country to another. This is because Islam follows the lunar calendar with a new month beginning with the sighting of each new moon.
This does not line up directly with the Gregorian calendar, used in many Western countries including the UK, which is 10 days longer. This means the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah falls 10 days earlier a different point every Gregorian calendar year. The start of Eid al-Adha is determined by the first sighting of a new crescent moon.
When does Eid al-Adha start this year?
This year Eid al-Adha will begin on the evening of Saturday, July 9, and will finish on Wednesday, July 13. The date is easier to predict than the start of Eid al-Fitr because Eid al-Adha starts several days after the sighting of the new moon – not at the very start of the month.
There isn't a clear consensus on whether you need to be able to see the moon in person for a moon sighting to have taken place. Some people argue that it's okay to defer to the work of astronomers who can accurately predict the timing of a new moon. Others say that Muslims around the world should look to sightings in Saudi Arabia where the holy city of Mecca is located.
Where is Eid al-Adha being celebrated in Wales?
Eid al-Adha will be celebrated in the majority of mosques in Wales. The Muslim Council of Wales has produced a full list of the times for Eid Salah, the central prayer commemorating Ibrahim's sacrifice. Prayers will take place as far north as Rhyl and Wrexham and as far south as Barry with 19 locations in Cardiff and six in Newport hosting worshippers for Eid.
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