Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice is the second and the largest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam. It honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, either Isaac or Ismail, as an act of obedience to God's command. However, before Abraham could sacrifice his son in the name of God, and because of his willingness to do so, God provided him with a lamb to sacrifice in his son's place. In commemoration of this intervention, animals are ritually sacrificed. The meat of the sacrificed animal is divided into three portions: one part of the meat is consumed by the family that offers the animal, one portion is for friends and relatives, while the rest of the meat is distributed to the poor and the needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family members typically visit and are welcomed. The day is also sometimes called the Greater Eid.