It’s always important to stay connected with your Muslim friend, coworker, or neighbor and to know what’s going on in their life. Islam has many major holidays and observances throughout the year; these are very important to your friend and are great opportunities for you to get to know them better.
Two of the most important celebrations are both religious feasts. Muslims call these feasts “eid” in Arabic. The two different “eids” or feasts in Islam are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr is the Feast of Breaking the Fast at the end of Ramadan– you can learn much more about that here.
A time of intentional religious reflection and observance, Eid al-Adha is the Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated in the last calendar month of the lunar Islamic calendar. (Yes, Islam uses a lunar calendar called the Hijri calendar!) This feast is considered more important than Eid al-Fitr, because it is the remembrance of an important event in Islam’s supposed history.
What is Eid al-Adha for?
Eid Al-Adha is in honor of the story in the Quran where Abraham almost sacrificed his son to Allah. Muslims believe he was going to sacrifice Ishmael, whom they claim they descend from, though there is no historical record of this claim. But Genesis 22 tells the story of Abraham obeying God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac, the son of promise, as a test of his faith.
Isaac or Ishmael?
Almost all Muslims believe that Abraham was ordered to sacrifice Ishmael. They fervently defend this claim though the Quran does not mention the name of Ishmael during that incident in Surah 37:101-106. Sura 37:112 mentions that Abraham was given good news of Isaac’s birth and that he too will be blessed. Because the sacrifice story came first, they assume that it was Ishmael, despite the Quran not being written in chronological order.
How do Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha?
So now we know why they celebrate, but what does this holiday look like for your Muslim friend?
This feast is on the 10th day of the last month, Dhu al-Hijjah, in the Islamic hijri calendar. This month is when millions of Muslims make their mandatory pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, called the hajj.
Eid al-Adha is celebrated both by pilgrims to Mecca and those who are not completing the hajj that specific year. But the fashion of celebrating can look slightly different depending on where they are!
Pilgrims have spent the previous three days on the hajj going through specific purification rites and rituals, and are now on their fourth day. The feast officially begins for them after they offer a sacrifice.
If they have the means, they sacrifice an animal near the place where they believe Allah provided a replacement for Ishmael – or they pay for someone to sacrifice the animal in their name.
For Muslims who are not on the hajj pilgrimage, they still celebrate! There is a special Eid sermon given at the mosque, and afterward many devout families host feasts and celebrations at their homes. They still offer sacrifices, which we’ll explain in much more detail in this next section.
The practice of offering a sacrifice on Eid al-Adha
The most important part of celebrating Eid al-Adha is the sacrifice, called qurbani or dahiyyah. Some Muslims even sacrifice animals in their own backyards instead of hiring someone to do it for them. Muhammad set a standard for Muslims to divide the sacrifice into thirds: a third for the poor, a third for their relatives and friends, and a third for themselves.
We go along with the hadith of ‘Abd-Allah (ibn ‘Abbas – may Allah be pleased with them both): ‘He should eat one third himself, feed one third to whomever he wants, and give one third in charity.” (Al-Mughni, 8/632)
How can Christians share Jesus with Muslims during Eid al-Adha?
There is common ground to start from when we want to talk to our Muslim friends about this feast, and it's not the fact that it’s loosely based on an account in the Bible.
It is the idea of a sacrifice! Muslims believe giving their sacrifice is proof of their piety to Allah and submitting to His will over theirs.
“Neither their meat nor blood reaches Allah. Rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. This is how He has subjected them to you so that you may proclaim the greatness of Allah for what He has guided you to, and give good news to the good-doers.” Surah 22:27
As Christians, we refer to the Bible to learn about sacrifices and their place in our lives today. The Bible makes it very clear that animal sacrifices were used in the Old Testament to cover a person’s sins– the blemish-free animal took the place of the sinner in its death.
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Leviticus 17:11
The Word became flesh, and willfully went to the cross, not only to cover the sins of anyone who believes in Him, but to also forgive, and wipe out permanently all past, present, and future sins.
Jesus said about Himself: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
This Feast of the Sacrifice opens the door for us to talk about what a sacrifice means– they are not only a sign of devotion in the Bible, but they are legitimate payments for our sin. Muslims do not believe there is a specific price for sinning, only that at the end of their lives they must have their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.
This year during Eid al-Adha, or shortly after when your Muslim friend is done with busy family celebrations, you can talk to them about all this! Ask them questions like this to get a conversation started:
How was Eid al-Adha for you? What does sacrificing an animal to Allah mean to you?
I find it interesting that the Bible and the Quran have different meanings behind animal sacrifices. Have you heard what the Bible says about it?
Would you like to hear about the Great Sacrifice which the Quran mentions in the story of Prophet Abraham in Surah 37:112?
Prayer for sharing Jesus’ sacrifice with a Muslim friend
Dear Lord, thank you for Jesus who willingly went to the cross and offered Himself a sacrifice in my place. Please open up my Muslim friend’s heart to receive the truth of what You did for them and give me your wisdom when I open my mouth to share about You. Amen.
