Bakrid – the festival of sacrifice

Eid-ul-Adha or Bakrid is one of the most popular Muslim festivals celebrated all over the world. It commemorates the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who was even ready to sacrifice his first born on God's command, and later sacrificed a sheep as per God's instructions.

Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid) 2023 is on June 29, Thursday

17 days to go for the event

Animals like goat, sheep, cow or camel are sacrificed on this day. It is a day of feasting and visiting with friends and family. The festival is celebrated after the Haj pilgrimage.

The legend of Eid-al-Adha

The origin of the festival of Bakrid has been described in Islamic traditions. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed by God to bring his Egyptian wife Hajar and his son Ishmael to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and to leave them there. By divine intervention, a well appeared here which helped Hajar and her son to survive. Later, Abraham returned here and preached the word of God.

In order to test him, God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ishmael in repeated dreams. When Abraham asked Ishmael, he was ready to bow before the will of God. Satan tried to distract them, but Ishmael drove him away by throwing stones.

Finally, when Abraham tried to cut his son's throat, he was spared by divine intervention and found a ram to have been sacrificed instead. To commemorate this day of sacrifice and the mercy of God, Eid-al-Adha is celebrated with sacrifice of animals.

Other names of Bakrid

The proper name for Bakrid is Eid-al-Adha. Since goats (bakri) are sacrificed during this festival, hence it is known as Bakrid. It is also called Qurbani meaning sacrifice.

When is Bakrid celebrated?

Bakrid is celebrated at the end of the month of Islamic holy pilgrimage or Hajj. It falls on the tenth of Dhul-Hugg or the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar.

The rituals of Bakrid

Bakrid is celebrated with lot of ceremony all over the country. It is especially observed in the city of Hyderabad. The rituals of the festival are as follows:

The day begins with people dressing up in new clothes and visiting the mosque. At the mosque, they perform dua or prayers for peace and prosperity of all.

Takbir is recited before and after the prayers.

Sacrifice is the most important aspect of Bakrid. Animals like goat, sheep, cow and camel are sacrificed. The animals must meet certain standards of perfection and the sacrifice is carried out in accordance with the religious laws.

Wealthy families are expected to provide one animal for sacrifice while if the family is poor, seven or seventy families can contribute to sacrifice one animal. Two thirds of the meat is distributed to the poor and one third is retained by the family for consumptions.

After the prayers, alms are given to the poor. People visit each other and exchange greetings of Id Mubarak. They visit houses of friends and relatives to celebrate Eid.

Feasts are prepared throughout the day. Everybody is made a part of the festivities. Special delicacies are prepared to celebrate Bakrid. In addition, gifts are also exchanged.