Culture Portfolio #1
Will Orman
Eid al-Adha is one of two holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide, along with Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha means “Festival of the sacrifice,” and the celebration of this holiday honors Ibrahim’s consent to sacrifice his son Ismail to show his devotion to God, before God gave Ibrahim a lamb to sacrifice instead. This willingness to sacrifice his son distinguished Ibrahim among other polytheists. The holiday occurs on the 10th day of the month Dhu al-Hijjah, at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, and lasts four days, during which people gather to pray, eat together, sometimes exchange gifts, and generally exchange well wishes.
Will Orman
Eid al-Adha is one of two holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide, along with Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha means “Festival of the sacrifice,” and the celebration of this holiday honors Ibrahim’s consent to sacrifice his son Ismail to show his devotion to God, before God gave Ibrahim a lamb to sacrifice instead. This willingness to sacrifice his son distinguished Ibrahim among other polytheists. The holiday occurs on the 10th day of the month Dhu al-Hijjah, at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, and lasts four days, during which people gather to pray, eat together, sometimes exchange gifts, and generally exchange well wishes.
In keeping with
the story of Ibrahim’s sacrifice of the lamb representing the great sacrifice
of his son, Eid al-Adha feasts typically include the sacrifice of some animal
that Muslims are allowed to eat, potentially a lamb or a goat. Contrary to
popular belief by non-Muslims, the sacrifice is unrelated to atonement for
sins, i.e. using the blood of the sacrificed animal to symbolize washing
oneself of one’s sins. According to Islam, Allah has given man power over
animals and allowed us to use them for food, but we must pay him respect when
we are to take a life for food, as a reminder that life is sacred.
Muslims sometimes
send money home to their places of origin to fund a sacrifice for those who
otherwise might not have a feast. The meat of the sacrifice itself is mostly
given away, with only one-third eaten by the immediate relatives of the family
who slaughters it. One-third is given to friends, and the last third is donated
to the needy. This generosity reflects the Muslim value of giving up some of
one’s goods, both to tighten bonds of friendship and to give aid to those less
fortunate. Muslims often invite their non-Muslim friends to the festivities so
that they might become better acquainted with Muslim traditions.
To prepare for
this holiday, Muslims are encouraged to make ablutions, or wash themselves
before entering the mosque, and offer the pre-sunrise prayer; attend to personal
cleanliness; and put on their newest or best clothes. Wealthy Muslims often
sacrifice their best animals, as long as they are halal, as a symbol of the
sacrifice of Ibrahim’s only son, but the animals to be sacrificed must be of a
certain age and quality. In the two days around the holiday, more than 100
million animals are slaughtered annually. Within the Muslim community there is
generally an effort to ensure that every believer without means may also
participate in this sacrificial meal.
Because most of
the dishes consumed during Eid al-Adha are savory, the holiday is sometimes
called the Salty Eid, in contrast with the Sweet Eid, Eid al-Fitr. These dishes
are often centered around beef or mutton, depending on which animal was
slaughtered. A barbecue is customary on the first day of the celebrations, and
the animal’s fried liver is used for breakfast in various types of kebabs. However,
soft drinks are still a popular accompaniment to these meals.
No comments:
Post a Comment