What is Eid ul-Adha?

Eid ul-Adha ('Festival of Sacrifice') is one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar.

The festival remembers the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to.

Eid ul-Adha is a public holiday in Muslim countries. In 2025, Eid ul-Adha will begin on the evening of Friday 6 June and end on the evening of Tuesday 10 June.

Eid ul-Adha celebrates the time when Ibrahim had a dream which he believed was a message from Allah asking him to sacrifice his son Isma'il as an act of obedience to God.

The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him and gave him a lamb to sacrifice instead.

In some countries, Muslims sacrifice a sheep or goat (in Britain the animal is killed at a slaughter house). The meat is shared equally between family, friends and the poor.

Eid usually starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for prayers. They dress in their best clothes and thank Allah for all the blessings they have received. It is a time when they visit family and friends. Muslims will also give money to charity so that poor people can celebrate too.

Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Adha on the last day of the Hajj. The Hajj is pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. It occurs every year and is the Fifth Pillar of Islam (and therefore very important).

All Muslims who are fit and able to travel should make the visit to Makkah at least once in their lives.

During the Hajj the pilgrims perform acts of worship and renew their faith and sense of purpose in the world. They stand before the Ka'bah, a shrine built by Ibrahim, and praise Allah together.

The Ka'bah is the most important monument in Islam. Pilgrims walk around the Ka'bah seven times and many of them try to touch the Black Stone located at the corner.

Have a look at the thinking points below. You can discuss them with somebody else if you want to. There are no right or wrong answers so remember to be respectful if somebody else has a different thought or opinion.

1. Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha as a way to show gratitude to Allah. What are you thankful for?
2. Muslims who are able to travel should do Hajj at least once in their lives. Why do you think this is so important to Muslims? Are there any places special to you?
3. Can you imagine the feelings that go with Eid Al Adha? Which of these words help? Memory / Gratitude / Faith / Fun / Generosity?

To help your class understand Eid and its role in Islam, 12-year olds Kaisan and Naeem and 11-year old Sara share their stories and personal experiences in this series of short films.

BBC Teach has thousands of free, curriculum-linked resources to help deliver lessons - all arranged by subject and age group.