Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice
Eid Al-Adha, known as the ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’, is one of the most significant festivals on the Muslim calendar and lasts for four days. The holiday marks the end of the Hajj Pilgrimage and serves as a day to remember the Islamic profit Ibrahim, and his willingness to sacrifice of his son, Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of submission to Allah, before Allah intervened and gave Ibrahim a lamb to slaughter in the place of his son. On this day, Muslims in countries around the world start the day with prayer and spend time with family, offer gifts and often give to charity. It is customary for Muslim families to honor Allah by sacrificing a sheep or goat and sharing the meat amongst family members.
- Indonesian Muslims perform Eid Al-Adha prayer at Al-Akbar Mosque on October 5, 2014 in Surabaya, Indonesia. Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid Al-Adha, to commemorate the Prophet Ibrahim’s readiness to sacrifice his son as a sign of his obedience to God, during which they sacrifice permissible animals, generally goats, sheep, and cows. (Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images)
- Bangladeshi commuters board a train as they rush home to be with their families in remote villages, ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, in Dhaka on October 3, 2014. Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and in commemoration of Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Munir uz Zaman/Getty Images)
- People pray during the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha on October 4, 2014 in Marcory, a neighborhood of Abidjan. Eid al-Adha, celebrated by Muslims around the world, coincides with the symbolic stoning of the devil by pilgrims gathered for the annual hajj near the holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia. Eid al-Adha is known as “Tabaski” in western Africa. (Sia Kambou/Getty Images)
- Indonesian muslim people ride a boat after attending Eid Al-Adha prayers at the Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta on October 5, 2014. Muslims in Indonesia celebrated the day of sacrifice or Eid Al-Adha where people hold prayers and slaughter livestock as obligation to God’s order. (Adek Berry/Getty Images)
- Children, accompanied by their father, walk together ahead of performing prayers on the first day of Eid al-Adha in the Duma neighbourhood in Damascus October 4, 2014. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the haj pilgrimage by slaughtering sheep, goats, camels and cows to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on God’s command. (Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)
- An Afghan man leads a goat ahead of the sacrificial Eid al-Adha festival at the animal market during sunset on the outskirts of Herat on October 2, 2014. Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Aref Karimi/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat near Mecca as they perform one of the Hajj rituals late on October 3, 2014. The pilgrims perform a series of rituals during the annual Hajj. They circumambulate the kaaba seven times, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drink from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, and throws stones in a ritual Stoning of Devil. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate Eid al-Adha holiday. (Mohammed al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Residents take a ride at an amusement park as they celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha in Baghdad October 5, 2014. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the haj pilgrimage by slaughtering sheep, goats, camels and cows to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on God’s command. (Ahmed Saad/Reuters)
- Iranian men perform the Eid al-Adha prayers at Tehran University on October 5, 2014. The religious festival, celebrated by a total of about 1.5 billion Muslims around the world in remembrance of Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to God, marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. (Atta Kenare/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims shave their hair after throwing pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims stand behind fens as they arrive to throw pebbles at pillars during the “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 4, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Russian Muslims pray in a street near the Central Mosque during Eid al-Adha festival in Moscow on October 4, 2014. Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Vasily Maximov/Getty Images)
- Bangladeshi commuters board a train as they rush home to be with their families in remote villages, ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, in Dhaka on October 3, 2014. Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and in commemoration of Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Munir uz Zaman/Getty Images)
- Belarusian muslims pray in the mosque on the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayram) in the village of Ivye some 125 km outside Minsk, on October 4, 2014. Muslims worldwide commemorate the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command. (Sergei Gapon/Getty Images)
- People pray during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, on October 4, 2014 in Marcory, a neighborhood of Abidjan. Eid al-Adha, celebrated by Muslims around the world, coincides with the symbolic stoning of the devil by pilgrims gathered for the annual hajj near the holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia. Eid al-Adha is known as “Tabaski” in western Africa. (Sia Kambou/Getty Images)
- An aerial view shows tens of thousands of tents hosting piligrms in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 5, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Indian Muslim men and women perform Special Prayers marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and welcoming the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, at the Shrine of Abdul Latif Mohammadshah (in front) and the Shrine of Hazrat Burhanuddin Kutbe Alam (Behind) in Vatwa area of Ahmedabad on October 5, 2014. Indian Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha across India, tomorrow. (Sam Panthaky/Getty Images)
- Indian Muslim men and women perform Special Prayers marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and welcoming the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, at the Shrine of Abdul Latif Mohammadshah (in front) and the Shrine of Hazrat Burhanuddin Kutbe Alam (Behind) in Vatwa area of Ahmedabad on October 5, 2014. Indian Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha across India, tomorrow. (Sam Panthaky/Getty Images)
- Indian Muslim men and women perform Special Prayers marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and welcoming the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, at the Shrine of Abdul Latif Mohammadshah (in front) and the Shrine of Hazrat Burhanuddin Kutbe Alam (Behind) in Vatwa area of Ahmedabad on October 5, 2014. Indian Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha across India, tomorrow. (Sam Panthaky/Getty Images)
- Thousands of Indian Muslim men and women leave after performing Special Prayers marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and welcoming the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, in the campus of Shrine of Abdul Latif Mohammadshah in Vatwa area of Ahmedabad on October 5, 2014. Indian Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha across India, tomorrow. (Sam Panthaky/Getty Images)
- Thousands of Indian Muslim men and women leave after performing Special Prayers marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and welcoming the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, in the campus of Shrine of Abdul Latif Mohammadshah in Vatwa area of Ahmedabad on October 5, 2014. Indian Muslims will celebrate Eid-al-Adha across India, tomorrow. (Sam Panthaky/Getty Images)
- An aerial view shows the clock of the Abraj Al-Bait Towers in the holy city of Mecca, on October 5, 2014. Saudi Arabia said that around 2 millions pilgrims are performing this year’s annual Muslim pilgrimage, the hajj. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- A Saudi officer is seen on duty at the command and control operation center in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 5, 2014. Saudi Arabia said that around 2 millions pilgrims are performing this year’s annual Muslim pilgrimage, the hajj. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- An aerial view shows tens of thousands of tents hosting piligrms in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 5, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolizing the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy city of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- An aerial view of the walk way leading to the pillars where pilgrims throw stone (center tents) on the 2nd day of “Jamarat” ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, on October 5, 2014. Pilgrims pelt pillars symbolising the devil with pebbles to show their defiance on the third day of the hajj as Muslims worldwide mark the Eid al-Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command in the holy City of Mecca. (Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat, near Mecca, to take part in one of the Hajj rituals on October 3, 2014. The pilgrims perform a series of rituals during the annual Hajj. They circumambulate the kaaba seven times, runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drink from the Zamzam Well, goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, and throws stones in a ritual Stoning of Devil. The pilgrims then shave their heads, perform a ritual of animal sacrifice, and celebrate Eid al-Adha holiday. (Mohammed al-Shaikh/Getty Images)
- A camel is led behind a three-wheeler motorcycle after it was bought at a market to be taken and sacrificed for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in the Pakistani city of Lahore on October 5, 2014. Muslims across the world are celebrating the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Arif Ali/Getty Images)
- Kyrgyz muslims pray on the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayram) in Bishkek, on October 4, 2014. Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/Getty Images)
- Russian Muslims pray outside the Saint Petersburg’s main mosque during the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bairam) on October 4, 2014. Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God. (Olga Maltseva/Getty Images)
- Egyptian Muslims pray on the first day of Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to show obedience to God, on 4 October 2014 in the Baragil village in the province of Giza. (Mohamed El-Shahed/Getty Images)
- An Afghan boy looks on as he wears new clothes on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha festival in Mazar-i-sharif on October 4, 2014. Afghans started celebrating Eid al-Adha or “Feast of the Sacrifice”, which marks the end of the annual hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca and is celebrated in remembrance of Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to God. (Farshad Usyan/Getty Images)
- An Afghan man offers Eid al-Adha prayers at the Blue Mosque in Herat on October 4, 2014. Afghans started celebrating Eid al-Adha or “Feast of the Sacrifice”, which marks the end of the annual hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca and is celebrated in remembrance of Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to God. (Aref Karimi/Getty Images)
- Afghan men offer Eid al-Adha prayers as a child looks on in Ghazni province on October 4, 2014. Afghans started celebrating Eid al-Adha or “Feast of the Sacrifice”, which marks the end of the annual hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca and is celebrated in remembrance of Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son to God. (Rahmatullah Alizadah/Getty Images)
- An Indonesian Muslim man (C) strokes a cow to be slaughtered on the day of sacrifice in Jakarta on October 5, 2014. Muslims in Indonesia celebrated the day of sacrifice or Eid Al-Adha where people hold prayers and slaughter livestock as obligation to God’s order. (Adek Berry/Getty Images)
- Muslims offer a special prayer at the shrine of Qutb-e-Alam, a Muslim saint, on the eve of the Eid al-Adha festival on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad October 5, 2014. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha by sacrificial slaughtering of sheep, goats, cows and camels to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God’s command. (Amit Dave/Reuters)
- An Afghan man sweeps the yard of the shrine of Imam Ali, son in-law of Prophet Mohammad, before Eid al-Adha prayer is performed in Mazar-i-Shariff October 4, 2014. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the hajj pilgrimage by slaughtering sheep, goats, camels and cows to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, on God’s command. (Anil Usyan/Reuters)