More than one billion Muslims around the world are preparing to celebrate the most significant religious holiday in the year, Eid al-Adha. The four-day celebration begins on the evening of Friday, July 8, and ends on the evening of Tuesday, July 12.
Eid al-Adha is to be celebrated annually on the 10th day in the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul-Hijjah. It marks the third day of the annual pilgrimage that Muslims partake in, called Hajj, in Saudi Arabia, where millions of faithful believers embark on a holy journey for five to six days.
Because Muslims follow the lunar calendar, the month of Dhul-Hijjah shifts ten days earlier every year so there isn't a fixed annual date for Hajj or Eid.
READ MORE: The Newcastle vegan chef who impressed Gordon Ramsay
Muslims celebrate two Eid's every year, the first being Eid al-Fitr which is celebrated following the month of Ramadan; it marks the end of a holy month where Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. This is known as the "lesser Eid" and is celebrated over three days.
Just over two months later, it's time for the second Eid, Eid al-Adha, known as the "greater Eid" and generally goes over four days.
Muslims rise early on the first day of the celebration for communal prayers, at mosques or community centres, which begin just after sunrise. This is the first-time Eid al-Adha gatherings are allowed again without restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many Muslims in Newcastle will be gathering at the Trampoline Park at West Road, Fenham for the Eid ul Adha salah (prayer), and from there a lot of people will visit family and friends and have their own cultural foods.
Eid al-Adha is celebrated in commemoration of the prophet Ibrahim who was commanded by God to sacrifice his son, Ismail.
Muslims believe that God commanded the prophet to sacrifice Ismail to test his commitment to his faith. When Ibrahim was prepared to commit the sacrifice, God saw his devotion and placed a ram in replacement for his son.
In memory of Ibrahim's story - which has parallels across other Abrahamic religions of Judaism and Christianity - Muslims are generally required to sacrifice either a sheep, lamb, goat, cow, bull, or camel. This act of worship is called "Qurbani" or "Qurban".
Muslims believe sacrificing an animal is a testament to Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son for the sake of God.
The sacrifice also acts as a form of charity. In many majority-Muslim countries where people personally commit the sacrifice, the meat is generally split into three portions: one is to be eaten by the family, one for relatives and friends and one to be shared among the disadvantaged.
Many people tend to volunteer their entire Qurban to those who are less fortunate and do not have access to meat to feed themselves or their families. In the UK and other Western countries, Muslims don't sacrifice the animals themselves.
Instead, they'll usually pay charity organisations that will facilitate the Qurban in countries overseas. After the animals are sacrificed, their meat is distributed to poor and vulnerable communities.
There are so many ways to wish a Muslim 'Happy Eid' on this special day, and they vary across different languages, depending on which cultural group they are from. The most common way to say it is "Eid Mubarak" which translates to "blessed Eid" in Arabic.
READ MORE:
'He's like a meme' - Newcastle's delight after Boris Johnson resigns calling it 'long overdue'
Baby food pouches 'more sugary than Coca-Cola', parents warned
ASDA praised for £1 kids meal offer aiming to help families tackle holiday hunger over summer
The 11 scandals that led to Boris Johnson's downfall - from 'Partygate' to Barnard Castle
Who is Ben Wallace? Defence Secretary is a new favourite to replace Boris Johnson
