Eid al-Adha: Meaning, Customs and Cultural Etiquette

Eid al-Adha: The Festival of Sacrifice, Faith and Respect Across Cultures

By :Tami Lancut Leibovitz | Master of Manners

Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice, is also known as “The Greater Eid” — Al Eid Al-Kabeer. It is one of the most important holidays in Islam and is deeply connected to faith, sacrifice, family, hospitality and social responsibility.

The holiday is linked to the biblical and Quranic story known in Jewish tradition as the Binding of Isaac. In Muslim tradition, it is commonly associated with Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, traditionally understood as Ishmael, in obedience to God. At the final moment, God sent a ram to be sacrificed instead.

Unlike Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated only by Muslims, Eid al-Adha is observed by both Muslims and Druze communities, although the meaning and customs of the holiday differ between them.

When Is Eid al-Adha Celebrated?

Eid al-Adha begins on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is traditionally celebrated for four days.

In 2026, Eid al-Adha in Israel is expected to begin on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and continue for four days. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, the exact date depends on the sighting of the moon and may vary slightly by country and community. Each year, the holiday moves approximately ten days earlier in the Gregorian calendar.

The Connection to Hajj

Eid al-Adha also marks the time of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia — one of the central duties in Islam. Every Muslim who is physically and financially able is expected to perform the pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime.

At the center of Mecca stands the Kaaba, the most sacred structure in Islam. The Kaaba is a cube-shaped building covered with an embroidered black cloth. During the pilgrimage, worshippers circle the Kaaba seven times. The Black Stone, set into one of its corners, holds great religious significance. Pilgrims also drink from the sacred Zamzam well, an important part of the pilgrimage tradition.

Why Is It Called the Festival of Sacrifice?

The name “Festival of Sacrifice” comes from the story at the heart of the holiday.

According to Muslim tradition, Prophet Ibrahim dreamed that he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son. His son accepted the divine will, and Ibrahim prepared to fulfill the command as an expression of complete faith and devotion. At the decisive moment, God stopped him and sent a ram to be sacrificed instead.

The sacrifice therefore symbolizes obedience, faith, humility and devotion — but also compassion, charity and responsibility toward others.

The day before the holiday is considered a day of spiritual preparation, purification and fasting for many believers.

A Religious Holiday — and a Social Occasion

Beyond its religious meaning, Eid al-Adha is also a major social and family occasion. It is a time of renewal, generosity and connection.

Families gather for festive meals, relatives visit one another, children often receive new clothes or gifts, and communities come together in an atmosphere of celebration and mutual respect.

The holiday also emphasizes giving. Part of the meat from the sacrifice is traditionally shared with family, neighbors and those in need.

Muslim Customs During Eid al-Adha

Among the common customs of the holiday are:

Pilgrimage to Mecca
Those performing Hajj travel to Mecca, the sacred site connected to the rituals of the pilgrimage.

Ihram — physical and spiritual purification
Pilgrims enter a state of purity known as Ihram. Before beginning the pilgrimage rituals, they wash, pray, cut their nails, trim or shave their hair, and wear special simple garments. Men traditionally wear two seamless white cloths; women wear modest clothing appropriate to the pilgrimage.

Simplicity and restraint
During Ihram, pilgrims avoid perfume, jewelry and other signs of luxury. The clothing and conduct reflect equality, humility and spiritual focus.

New clothes and family visits
Many families buy new clothes for the holiday, dress festively and visit relatives, neighbors and friends.

Visiting cemeteries
Some families visit the graves of loved ones and recite verses from the Quran.

Festive food
Meat is traditionally served in memory of the sacrifice. In many homes, sweets are also prepared — date-filled cookies, pastries with almonds or peanuts, cream cakes and other festive desserts.

Sacrifice and charity
A sheep, goat, cow or another permitted animal may be sacrificed, and the meat is used for the holiday meal and shared with those in need.

Eid al-Adha Among the Druze

The Druze also observe Eid al-Adha, but the meaning of the holiday is different.

Eid al-Adha is a central Islamic holiday, but it is not originally a specifically Druze holiday in the same sense. The Druze faith developed historically from within the Islamic world, yet its belief system and religious practices are distinct.

The Druze believe in the unity of God, the transmigration of souls and a symbolic interpretation of religious teachings. They do not observe the same religious obligations as Muslims, such as the five daily prayers, the fast of Ramadan or the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Within Druze society, religious obligations are mainly observed by the Uqqal — the initiated religious members of the community — as distinct from the Juhhal, the non-initiated members, who do not take part in the same religious practices.

Druze religious worship takes place in a prayer house called a Khalwa. It is usually simple and without external symbols. The prayer hall is spacious, without images or decoration, and traditionally separates men and women.

The Druze Meaning of the Festival of Sacrifice

In the Druze tradition, the meaning of Eid al-Adha is spiritual and symbolic. It is connected to purification, repentance and inner sacrifice.

The “sacrifice” is not only a physical act. It represents the abandonment of sin, the cleansing of the heart and conscience, and a process of spiritual refinement.

The ten days preceding the holiday are considered especially important. During these days, religious members of the community pray daily, and some observe a full or partial fast as an act of purification of body and soul.

The day before the holiday is called Al-Waqfa, meaning “the standing” — a day of spiritual standing, reflection and judgment. In the Druze tradition, this day is considered especially sacred. Many members of the community refrain from working or traveling by car.

Although the Druze holiday coincides with the Muslim Eid al-Adha and the time of the Hajj, the Druze do not make a pilgrimage to Mecca, as Hajj is not a Druze religious commandment.

The holiday lasts four days and is marked by prayer, family gatherings, respect, charity and community connection.

Holiday Greetings

Common greetings for Eid al-Adha include:

“Kul ‘am wa antum bi-khair”
May you be well every year.

“Kul sana wa antum salmin”
May every year return with health, peace and wholeness.

These greetings express one of the central values of the holiday: the wish that each year will bring blessing, health, generosity and peace.

A Holiday of Faith, Family and Human Respect

Eid al-Adha is not only a religious date on the calendar. It is a reminder of the deep connection between faith and human conduct.

It speaks about devotion, restraint, generosity, family, community and the responsibility to see the other — especially those in need.

From the perspective of etiquette and intercultural awareness, Eid al-Adha is also an opportunity to understand that holidays are not only rituals. They are cultural languages. They teach us how people express respect, belonging, gratitude and faith.

And when we understand the language of another culture, we do more than learn about a holiday.
We learn how to meet people with greater sensitivity, knowledge and respect.

© All rights reserved to Tami Lancut Leibovitz