عيد الاضحى , معناه وكيفية أداء صلاته Eid Al Adha

Eid Al-Adha: Festival of the Sacrifice

Eid al-Adha (Arabic , "Festival of the Sacrifice") is a major Islamic festival that takes place at the end of the Hajj. It is also known as 'Id al-Qurban or al-'Id al-Kabir -Major Festival

Eid al-Adha marks the completion of the hajj (pilgrimage) rites at Mina, Saudi Arabia, but is also observed by Muslims throughout the world to commemorate the faith of Ibrahim -Abraham

Date of Eid al-Adha

Eid Al-Adha begins on the 10th of Dhu'l-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts for fours days. It begins the day after Muslims on the Hajj descend from Mount Arafat
In the western calendar, Eid Al-Adha begins on the following day
This year it will be on
November 28, 2009

Meaning of the Festival

The festival commemorates God's gift of a ram in place of Isma'il (Ishmael), whom God had commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice. In Judaism and Christianity, the child in this story is Ishmael's brother Isaac
So this festival remembers the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to. God appeared in a dream to Ibrahim and told him to sacrifice his son Isma'il. Ibrahim and Isma'il set off to
Mina for the sacrifice

As they went, the devil attempted to persuade Ibrahim to disobey God and not to sacrifice his beloved son. But Ibrahim stayed true and absolutely obedient to God and drove the devil away

As Ibrahim prepared to kill his son God stopped him and gave him a sheep to sacrifice instead
Ibrahim's complete obedience to the will of God is celebrated by Muslims each year

Each Muslim, as they celebrate, reminds themselves of their own submission to God, and their own willingness to sacrifice anything to God's wishes

During the festival Muslims who can afford to, sacrifice domestic animals, usually sheep, as a symbol of Ibraham's sacrifice

The meat is distributed among family, friends and the poor, who each get a third share
As with all festivals there are prayers, and also presents

Eid Salat

Eid salat is performed on the morning of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. The Eid prayer is most likely an individual obligation (fard al-ayn), though some Islamic scholars argue it is only a collective obligation (fard al-kifayah) It consists of two raka'at, with seven takbirs offered before the start of the first raka'ah and five before the second. After the salat is completed, a sermon (khutbah) is offered. However, the khutbah is not an integral part of the Eid salat.] The Eid salat must be offered between sunrise and true noon i.e. between the time periods for Fajrand Dhuhr