When is Eid ul-Adha 2023? Dates of Islamic festival, how it’s linked to Hajj - and how it’s celebrated in UK

Eid ul-adha, also known as Eid al-adha, is fast approaching, and is the second of two main holidays celebrated in Islam. Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, Eid ul Adha is characterised by its backstory of slaughtering an animal and sharing the meat in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to a command from God. This Eid always falls after the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj.

This Eid always falls after its counterpart, Eid al Fitr, but celebrations last for longer. The precise date of Eid ul-adha will not be known until closer to the time due to the sighting of the moon but as there is a set pattern to the Islamic calendar, we can give an approximation of dates.

So, when will Eid ul-adha be this year, how will people celebrate and why can the date not be confirmed until closer to the time? Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Eid ul-adha this year?

The day of Eid ul-adha falls on the tenth day in the twelfth and final month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar, Dhu-al-Hijjah. It lasts for three days, and will end on 13 Dhu al-Hijjah.

The day on which celebrations for Eid-ul-adha falls is dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the completion of the Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj - an annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. This year, Eid al-adha will fall on Wednesday 28 June to 2 July 2023 but the main date most Muslims will celebrate either Wednesday 28 June or Thursday 29 June 2023.

What is Eid ul-adha?

Eid ul-adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, the first being Eid al-Fitr, the celebration after Ramadan, which took place in April. Eid ul-adha is considered to be the holier of the two Eids, and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah, who was willing to sacrifice his son, Ismail in obedience to a command from God.

However, at the point of sacrifice, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram, which was to be sacrificed in place of his son. The original command from Allah was a test of Prophet Ibrahim’s commitment to obey his Lord’s command, without question.

Now to celebrate this miracle and devotion to Allah, Eid ul-adha means the festival of sacrifice and celebrates this event which is mentioned in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book. During this Eid, an animal is slaughtered and the meat is separated into three equal parts; family, for friends and as charity for those below the poverty line.

When is Hajj?

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca - the holiest city for Muslims. This year, Hajj is predicted to begin on 26 June 2023, and lasts until Saturday 1 July. Eid ul Adha usually falls around the third day of Hajj to align with the events that take place during this pilgrimage.

How is Eid ul-adha celebrated?

Traditionally, Muslims mark the occasion by sacrificing a lamb, goat, cow or other animal and sharing the meat with loved ones or the less fortunate. Each animal has a certain amount of people who can contribute towards the animals sacrifice. For an animal to be scarified in accordance for Eid ul Adha, Muslim Aid reports the sacrifice can only be made after Eid prayers, the animal must meet its minimum age and health requirements, the person doing the sacrifice must also meet the age and health requirements, and it must be shared into three parts.

Larger animals such as camels and cows can count up to seven shares of sacrifice, whereas smaller animals such as a sheep or a goat only counts as one.

Eid al-adha is a public holiday in Muslim countries, but Muslims in the UK may take the day off work or school to celebrate this festival. They will wear their best clothes for this occasion, go to the mosque for prayers, and give money to charity to give poorer families the chance to have a proper Eid feast.

Mosques and community groups will traditionally often arrange communal meals. They will also greet each other using the celebratory phrase Eid Mubarak and traditionally exchange Eid gifts.

What does Eid Mubarak mean?

The Arabic word mubarak translates as blessed while Eid means feast, festival or celebration, so Eid Mubarak can literally mean blessed celebration or blessed feast.

One of the well wishes and greetings people wish each other during the festival is: "May the divine blessings of Allah bring you hope, faith, and joy on Eid ul-adha and forever. Happy Eid ul-adha 2023”