Eid-ul-Adha 2023: Significance, date of celebration around the world

Eid-ul-Adha also known as Eid-al-Adha and Eid-ul-Zuha is a festival celebrated by the Islamic community worldwide. The festival marks Prophet Ibrahim's devotion to Allah with his readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail.

Eid-ul-Adha or Bakrid is also called "greater Eid" and is celebrated a day after the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca (one of the most important Five Pillars of Islam). Eid-ul-Adha is the festival of sacrifice as it mirrors Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail just to obey Allah's command. However, when Ibrahim was about to sacrifice Ismail, Allah placed a sheep in place of him.

The celebrations of Eid-ul-Adha can last from two to four days, depending upon the country. The act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is carried out after the prayers. The sacrifice must be of an animal such as a lamb, sheep and goat. The meat is then divided into three -- one-third of it is for you and your family, one-third is for friends, and the final third is to be donated to those in need.

Eid-ul-Adha's celebration date is based on the sighting of the moon. Due to this, the date varies every year. So, in places such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, the UK, the US, and Canada the occasion will be celebrated on June 28.