Eid al-Adha
;)
Every year, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most important holidays. The festival commemorates Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son Ishmael, as recorded in the Qur'an.
In 2011, Eid al-Adha is on Sunday, the 6th of November for most of the world. Due to sightability of the moon relating to the lunar calendar, the Eid will begin in North America a day later, on Monday, the 7th of November.
Muslim holidays begin on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Adha on the sunset of Saturday, the 5th of November (or Friday, the 6th, for North America).
Although Eid al-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Eid al-Adha moves approximately 11 days every year. The date of Eid al-Adha may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not. (Source: http://www.when-is.com/eid-al-adha-2011.asp)
The morning of the festival, neighbors gather, often at their local mosque, and slaughter goats, cows and other animals as a means of remembering that Allah rescued Ishmael by providing Abraham a substitute sacrifice. Families then take the meat home and prepare delicious feasts, often inviting relatives and friends to join the celebration.
Eid al-Adha also marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. In Malaysia, the holiday is called Hari Raya Haji ("Hajj Celebration Day") as friends and relatives are welcomed back from their pilgrimage.
Prayer Points
- Pray that the holiday would move Muslims in Southeast Asia to think about what true obedience to God looks like, and that they would grapple seriously with the problem of sin.
- Pray that followers of Jesus in Southeast Asia would find ways to use the holiday as a means of sharing the story of Jesus, himself a substitutionary sacrifice.