November 4, 2014 is the عيد الأضحى (ʿīd al-aḍḥā or Eid al-Adha), the “feast of the sacrifice,” also known as العيد الكبير (al-‘īd al-kabīr, the Big Festival), when المسلمين (al-muslimīn, Muslims) commemorate the willingness of ابراهيم (Ibrāhīm, Abraham) to obey God’s command to sacrifice his son إسماعيل (Ismāʿīl). The عيد الأضحى (īd al-aḍḥā) marks the end of الحج (al-Ḥajj), the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca, and is the last of several rites pilgrims perform as part of الحج.
Some Muslims practice صوم (Ṣawm, fasting) in the days leading up to عيد الأضحى (ʿīd al-aḍḥā). On the first day of عيد الأضحى (ʿīd al-aḍḥā), Muslims usually pray and put on new clothing.
Because in the Qur’anic narrative, God put a lamb in the place of إسماعيل (Ismāʿīl), the main ritual associated with عيد الأضحى (ʿīd al-aḍḥā) is the slaughter of an animal as أضحية, (aḍḥiya) or sacrifice (either goats, sheep, cattle or camels), for those who have the means. In order for the slaughter of an animal to be halal, it should be done with the proper prayers and processes, the animal should be treated gently, and the knife should be sharp. The meat should then be shared with the poor, and with friends and family.
The special food on عيد الأضحى is اللحم (al-lahm, meat) from the sacrifice, which is typically served for breakfast directly after the animal is slaughtered. Dishes include فتة (fatta, a savory bread and rice pudding), رقاق (ru’ā’, a savory meat pastry) or just cuts of meat and organs lightly spiced and boiled or grilled.
Despite the deep sacred meaning of this feast, comical cartoons personifying animals sacrifices for عيد الأضحى are common:
The sheep in chicken’s clothing is labeled “lamb for العيد” and his sign reads “beware the bird flu.”
