- Статьи
- Society
- Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha: dates and essence of the holiday, rules and prohibitions
Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha: dates and essence of the holiday, rules and prohibitions
At the end of March, Muslims end their long fast and the Eid al—Adha holiday begins. This is one of the important celebrations, which has its own rules and traditions. Izvestia reports on how to properly prepare for the celebration and how to hold it in 2026.
When is Eid al-Adha celebrated in 2026
In 2026, Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Adha on March 20. Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, does not have a fixed date in the Gregorian calendar, as the Muslim world is guided by the lunar Hijri calendar.
The history of Eid al-Adha: from the Medina community to the present day
The history of Eid al-Adha dates back to the early period of the formation of Islam and dates back about fourteen centuries. According to Muslim tradition, the holiday was established by the Prophet Muhammad in 624, two years after his migration (Hijri) from Mecca to Medina.
Before Islam, pagan Arabs celebrated two annual festivals accompanied by games and entertainment. When the prophet saw this, he told his companions, "God has replaced them with two better days, the day of sacrifice and the day of resurrection."
Interestingly, the holiday has two main names that have been established in different regions of the world. Eid al-Fitr is the original Arabic name, which translates as "the feast of the cessation of fasting" and is used in the Middle East and North Africa.
Eid al-Adha is a Turkic variant that originated from the Persian word "ruza" (fast) and the Turkic "bayram" (holiday). This form has become common in Russia and Central Asia.
For more than 1400 years, the holiday has preserved its rituals and traditions. During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, obligatory elements were formed that Muslims observe to this day: collective festive prayer (Eid-namaz), obligatory alms (zakat al-fitr) and the prohibition of fasting on this day.
Traditions of Eid al-Adha celebration
Preparations for Eid al-Adha begin a few days before the holiday date. Believers carry out general cleaning in their houses, renovate the interior, purchasing new tablecloths and decorative items, and also prepare festive dishes. In parallel with household chores, Muslims pay attention to spiritual preparation: they try to resolve conflicts, ask for forgiveness from loved ones and let go of grievances themselves in order to enter the holiday with a pure heart.
The holiday itself begins at sunset on the last day of the holy month of Ramadan. According to the religious calendar, Eid al-Adha is celebrated on one day. However, Muslims celebrate the celebration for longer — sometimes up to three days. On the first day, March 20, 2026, at first light, believers perform a full ablution (ghusl), put on their most elegant clothes and go to the mosque for a collective festive prayer — Eid prayer. The main greeting on this day is the phrase "Eid Mubarak!", which means "Blessed holiday!".
After the prayer is over, Muslims visit cemeteries to honor the memory of deceased relatives, and then return home to the festive table. On Eid al-Adha, it is customary to visit relatives and friends, give gifts and treat children with sweets. The festive menu depends on national traditions:
- Balish, a pie with meat and potatoes, and chak—chak are served in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan.;
- thin tortillas with cottage cheese chepalgash and zhizhig-galnash are prepared in Chechnya.;
- In Dagestan, khinkal and chudu tortillas with various fillings are served on the table.;
- The hearty pie kobete and chibereki are popular among the Crimean Tatars.
Spiritual meaning: gratitude, mercy and unity
Eid al—Adha is not just the day of the end of fasting, but a holiday with deep spiritual content. Its essence is revealed through gratitude to God for the opportunity to pass the test of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, strengthen faith and become spiritually purified. According to theologians, fasting is considered valid if the believer not only abstained from eating, but also avoided lies, unkind words and deeds, therefore the holiday symbolizes the rebirth and renewal of man.
The central place in the celebration is occupied by the idea of social justice and mercy, which is realized through the payment of obligatory alms — zakat al-Fitr. Every wealthy Muslim is obliged to give a donation to those in need before the start of the festive prayer, which may be in the form of food (dates, barley, rice) or a monetary equivalent.
The holiday also highlights the unity of the Ummah (Muslim community). According to various estimates, it is celebrated by 1.2 to 2 billion people worldwide, and about 10 million in Russia. In regions such as Tatarstan, Bashkiria, Chechnya, Dagestan, as well as in a number of other republics, March 20, 2026 has been declared an official day off.
What you can and can't do on Thanksgiving Day
With the advent of Eid al-Adha, all restrictions that were in effect for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan are lifted.
What can and should be done:
- eat and drink during daylight hours;
- to perform festive prayer (Eid-namaz) collectively in the mosque;
- Visit relatives, friends, and cemeteries to commemorate the dead;
- giving gifts, paying special attention to children;
- be generous and do charity work.
What not to do:
- quarreling, swearing, thinking about bad things and harboring grievances;
- engage in heavy physical labor and household chores (all basic preparations must be completed in advance).
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
