When is Eid Al Adha 2023?

The UAE is preparing to observe the important religious festival

Eid Al Adha morning prayers held at Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Mosque in Abu Dhabi in 2021. The National

Related: Eid Al Adha 2023 holidays announced for private sector

Muslims in the UAE and across the globe will come together to celebrate Eid Al Adha next week.

The religious festival is the second of the two Eids held during the year and considered to be the most important.

It is observed during Dhu Al Hijja, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, which began on Monday.

Dhu Al Hijja is considered one of the four sacred months for Muslims, called Al Ash-hur Al Hurom.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage also takes place during the month, beginning on June 26.

When is Eid Al Adha and how is it marked?

Eid Al Adha – which means “festival of the sacrifice” will begin on Wednesday, June 28.

It falls on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijja, two days after the start of Hajj.

The sacrifice the holiday commemorates is explained in the Quran, which tells of how the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by God in a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.

As with other religious holidays in the Emirates, it is a time for friends and family to gather, often over meals, and reflect on their lives and faith.

It is customary for a family to have a goat or sheep butchered at an abattoir and to share the meat between themselves, their relatives and the underprivileged.

How long is the Eid holiday?

Both public and private sector employees will enjoy as many as six days off for the holiday this year.

Staff will be granted paid leave from Tuesday, June 27, until Friday, June 30, authorities confirmed.

The private sector break was announced on Monday and is in line with the holiday allowance confirmed for government workers earlier.

What is Hajj?

Large numbers of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform Hajj each year, with many also heading further north to the city of Madinah.

All Muslims able to do so are required to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in their lifetime. Hajj and the other four pillars of Islam form a foundation of life for Muslims.

More than two million Muslims are expected to take part this year, in a return to pre-pandemic numbers.

The event is a deeply spiritual experience for Muslims.

Eid Al Adha 2022 – in pictures