Friday, November 12, 2010

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) or "Eid-u'z-Zuha" "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, but instead was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). In traditional or agrarian settings, each family will sacrifice a sheep by slaughter, making it halal. The meat would then be divided into three equal parts to be distributed to others. The family retains one third of the share, another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors, and the other third is given to the poor & needy.  Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayah 196 in the Qur'an. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Wajib prayer of two Raka'ah followed by a sermon (khubah).  The word "Eid" appears in Sura al-Mai'da ("The Table Spread," Chapter 5) of the Qur'an, meaning 'solemn festival'. Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar[4]. Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr. Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.



  The Takbir and Other Rituals
The Takbir is recited from the dawn of the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah to the thirteenth, and consists of:
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar          الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر                            
lā ilāha illā Allāh        لا إله إلا الله                                                                                    
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar        الله أكبر الله أكبر                                                                    
wa li-illāhil-hamd        ولله الحمد
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Variation
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar      الله أكبر الله أكبر
lā ilāha illā Allāh            لا إله إلا الله
wa Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar  والله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illāhil-amd          ولله الحمد
Alamdulillāh `alā mā hadānā, wa lahul-shukru `ala mā awlānā   الحمدلله على ما هدانا و له الشكر على ما اولانا

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
and Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise, (We) sing the praises of Allah because He has shown us the Right Path. (We) gratefully thank Him because He takes care of us and looks after our interests.

Variation:
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar        الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
lā ilāha illā Allāh            لا إله إلا الله
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar        الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illāhil-amd          ولله الحمد
Allāhu akbar kabīra, wal amdu lillāhi kathīra, wa subāna Allāhi bukratan wa aīlā       الله أكبر كبيرا والحمد لله كثيرا وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلا
lā ilāha illā Allāh wadah(i)        لا اله إلا الله وحده
adaqa wa`dah, wa naara abdah, wa 'a`azza jundahu wa azama al-azaba wadah   صدق وعده ونصر عبده وأعز جنده وهزم الأحزاب وحده
lā ilāha illā Allāh            لا إله إلا الله
walā na`budu illā iyyāh  ولا نعبد إلا إياه
Mukhliīn lahu ud-dīn wa law kariha al kāfirūn   مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون
Allāhumma allī `alā Sayyidinā Muammad, wa `alā āla Sayyidinā Muammad, wa `alā aṣḥabi Sayyidinā Muammad, wa `alā anāri Sayyidinā Muammad, wa `alā azwāji Sayyidinā Muammad, wa `alā urriyyati Sayyidinā Muammadin wa sallim taslīman kathīra    اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد وعلى أصحاب سيدنا محمد وعلى أنصار سيدنا محمد وعلى أزواج سيدنا محمد وعلى ذرية سيدنا محمد وسلم تسليما كثيرا

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,
There is no deity but Allah
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah goes all praise
Allah is the Greatest, all Praise is due to Him, And Glory to Allah, eventide and in the morning
There is no god, but Allah the Unique
He has fulfilled His Promise, and made Victorious His worshipper, and made Mighty His soldiers and defeated the confederates
There is no deity but Allah
He alone we worship
With sincere and exclusive devotion, even though the infidels hate it
O Allah, have Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad, and on the family of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the Companions of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the Helpers of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the wives of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the offspring of our Prophet Muhammad, and bestow upon them much peace