Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)

Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) is the greatest Islamic holiday and is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the day when Hajj pilgrims perform their sacrificial ritual. The holiday commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Isma'il in obedience to Allah, and Allah's mercy in replacing the sacrifice with a ram.

The Eid al-Adha prayer is similar in form to the Eid al-Fitr prayer with two rak'ah and extra takbirat. An important difference is that one should not eat before the prayer (unlike Eid al-Fitr), and the first food one eats should be from the sacrificial animal. Takbirat al-Tashriq are recited after every obligatory prayer from Fajr on the 9th to Asr on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.

Sacrificing an animal (udhiyah/qurbani) is wajib according to the Hanafi school and sunnah mu'akkadah according to the other schools. The Prophet said: "Whoever has the means but does not sacrifice, let him not approach our prayer ground" (Sunan Ibn Majah). The meat is typically divided into three parts: one third for the family, one third for neighbors and friends, and one third for the poor.