Aïd el-Kebir: all you need to know about this important Muslim festival
Aïd el-Kebir, also called Aïd al-Adha, is one of the two great festivals of the Muslim calendar. This religious event holds a particular importance for believers, for it commemorates the sacrifice of the prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail in the Quran. In this article, we invite you to discover what Aïd el-Kebir is, its origin, its differences from the other great Muslim festival, Aïd el-Fitr, as well as the date planned for Aïd el-Kebir in 2023.
What is Aïd el-Kebir and why is it celebrated ?
Aïd el-Kebir, or Aïd al-Adha, literally means "the great festival" or "the festival of the sacrifice" in Arabic. It is also called "festival of the sheep" or "tabaski", "qurbani" depending on the country in which the Muslims find themselves. It is celebrated every year by Muslims throughout the world and constitutes one of the main dates of the Islamic calendar. This festival commemorates a major episode in the life of the Prophet Ibrahim related by the Lord of the Worlds in the Quran: the sacrifice of his son Ismail.
The sacrifice of Ibrahim and Ismail in the Quran
In the Muslim religion, believers celebrate Aid el kebir in memory of the prophet Ibrahim who received the divine command to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, peace be upon them, in order to prove his submission and his devotion to God. Allah azza wa jal informs us in His Holy Book that Ibrahim came to his only son to speak to him of this command that he was receiving in the form of recurring dreams. The patience and submission of this blessed family is found in these verses of the Holy Quran:
Ready to obey, Ibrahim went to Mount Arafat with his son to carry out the painful sacrifice. However, at the last moment, Allah gave him a ram through the intermediary of the Angel Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him, in order to replace Ismail, thus sparing the life of the young man.
This episode reminds believers of the importance of submission to the divine will and the notion of sacrifice in the Muslim faith. Aïd el-Kebir is therefore the occasion for Muslims to gather with family and friends to celebrate this story and renew their commitment and their faith in Allah.
The traditions and rites associated with Aïd el-Kebir
The celebration of Aïd el-Kebir extends over three days and gives rise to various traditions and religious rituals. Among the most important, we can cite:
- The collective prayer : The Salat el Aid takes place on the morning of the first day of the festival, generally after sunrise, and gathers the faithful in the mosques to pray together and listen to the religious sermon, « Khutbat al Aid », given on this occasion.
- The sacrifice of an animal : in memory of Ibrahim's gesture, each family that has the means sacrifices an animal (sheep, goat, cow or camel) whose meat is shared between the members of the family, the neighbours and those in need.
- Family visits : throughout the festival, families visit one another and exchange their good wishes.
- Festive meals : these gatherings are often the occasion to share a meal composed of traditional dishes based on the meat of the sacrificed animal.
The difference between Aïd el-Fitr and Aïd el-Kebir
It is common to confuse Aïd el-Kebir with the other great Muslim festival, Aïd el-Fitr. While these two events are both of great importance to believers, they nevertheless present notable differences:
- Aïd el-Fitr marks the end of the month of fasting of Ramadan. Aïd el Fitr therefore corresponds to the first day of the month of Shawwal of the Muslim calendar, whereas Aïd el-Kebir corresponds to the 10th day of the month of Dhul-Hijja (12th month of the Hijri calendar) and commemorates the sacrifice of the prophet Ismail by his father and prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon them.
- The date of Aïd el-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, and is fixed according to the appearance of the crescent moon on the night of doubt. It is when this crescent moon is visible that Muslims throughout the world know whether the month of Ramadan comprises 29 days or, if it does not appear, whether a 30th day of fasting is required. Since lunar months do not have 31 days, the night of doubt determines the end of the fast of Ramadan. For Aid el kebir, or Aid al Adha, there is no night of doubt, but this event is also calculated according to the lunar calendar. Even though many use astronomical calculations to determine this date of the Muslim calendar, the moon is also observed on the eve of the 1st day of the month of Dhul Hijja to see on what date the 10th day of this sacred month Dhul Hijja will fall and thus to see to which date of the Gregorian calendar it corresponds. In general, this festival is known to be celebrated on the 70th day after the end of the month of Ramadan.
- The rites and traditions associated with the two festivals also differ. While Aid el Fitr aims to celebrate the end of the fast of the month of Ramadan in joy, congratulating oneself on having been able to obey our Lord through the observance of the fast, Aid el Kebir, for its part, honours a landmark event in Islamic history, encouraging us to fear God.
When will Aïd el-Kebir be in 2023 ?
As mentioned previously, the date of Aïd el-Kebir varies each year according to the Muslim lunar calendar. In 2023, this great festival should take place after the moon is observed around the first day of the month of Dhul Hijja.
Aid el kebir should therefore take place around 28 June. It is nevertheless important to note that this date is liable to change slightly according to the observation of the moon.
Aïd el-Kebir is a major religious festival for Muslims throughout the world. In it they celebrate the sacrifice in order to renew their commitment and their faith as a sign of devotion to God, through the commemoration of the trial of Ibrahim and Ismail, peace be upon them. This celebration is the occasion to bring together the members of the Muslim community, but also to gather with family and friends to share moments of conviviality. Its importance within the Muslim community makes it an unmissable event of the Islamic calendar.