Hari Raya Aidiladha
Next: May 16, 2027
The festival of sacrifice.
The story
Where it comes from
Hari Raya Aidiladha (Eid al-Adha, also Hari Raya Haji or Hari Raya Korban) falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, at the close of the Hajj pilgrimage. It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son at God's command, and God's provision of a ram in his place.
How it's celebrated
Morning prayers, then the korban: the sacrifice of a sheep, goat or cow, with the meat divided among family, friends and the poor. In Malaysia and Singapore, families gather for a meal and visit relatives; it is a public holiday, and in Kelantan and Terengganu a two-day one.
Did you know
- Because the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the solar year, Aidiladha moves through every season over roughly 33 years.
- Roughly two million pilgrims complete the Hajj in Mecca in the days before the festival.
The greeting
Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha
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