By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The 1444 crescent for the month of Dhul Hijjah has been sighted confirming the date of this year’s Eid al Adha.
The Crescent was seen yesterday 18th June, 2023 meaning that today 19th June, 2023 is the first Day of Dhul Hijjah and the 10th Dhul Hijjah will be 28th June 2023. The Day for the celebration of Eid al Adha.
Eid al-Adha is “Feast of the Sacrifice”) or the Feast of Sacrifice is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr).
It honours the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Ismail) as an act of obedience to God‘s command. Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, however, God provided him with a lamb which he was supposed to kill in his son’s place because of his willingness to sacrifice his own son in the name of God.
In commemoration of this intervention, animals are ritually sacrificed. Part of their meat is consumed by the family which offers the animal, while the rest of the meat is distributed to the poor and the needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family members are typically visited and welcomed. The day is also sometimes called the Greater Eid.
In the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days. In the international (Gregorian) calendar, the dates vary from year to year, shifting approximately 11 days earlier each year.
