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Wednesday, May 27, 2026 · 32 days away
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Eid al-Adha 2026
Event overview
Festival of Sacrifice commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son. Coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. Expected on Wednesday May 27, 2026 (subject to moon sighting; some regions May 26 or 28). Eid prayer, qurbani (ritual slaughter of sheep, goat, cow or camel), distribution of meat to family, friends and the poor.
Eid al-Adha 2026 – the Islamic festival of sacrifice – is expected on Wednesday May 27, 2026 (subject to local moon sighting; some regions may observe May 26 or May 28). The four-day festival coincides with the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca and is observed by an estimated 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide.
Eid al-Adha means "festival of sacrifice." It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son Isma'il (Ishmael in the Hebrew tradition) at God's command, and God's last-moment intervention in which a ram was provided in the son's place. The story is told in the Quran (37:100-111) and is the central narrative behind the qurbani – the ritual sacrifice of an animal that defines the festival.
The festival falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Hijri calendar – the day immediately after Yawm Arafah, the most important day of the Hajj pilgrimage. While Eid al-Fitr is the more widely observed festival in South and Southeast Asia, Eid al-Adha is the larger of the two Eids in the Arabian Peninsula and most of Africa because of its tie to the Hajj. Around 2 million pilgrims gather annually in Mecca for the Hajj rituals, which culminate on Eid al-Adha morning.
The four days of the festival – 10, 11, 12, and 13 of Dhu al-Hijjah – are known as the "Days of Tashriq" (after the Eid prayer), during which qurbani is permissible and a special takbir (declaration of God's greatness) is recited after each obligatory prayer.
The morning of Eid al-Adha begins with ghusl, new clothes, and the Eid prayer in congregation – typically held in large open Eidgah prayer grounds. Unlike Eid al-Fitr, Muslims do not eat before the Eid al-Adha prayer; instead, the day's first meal is meat from the qurbani.
After the prayer, those who have the financial means perform qurbani – the ritual slaughter of a sheep, goat, cow, or camel. The sacrifice is not arbitrary: there are specific rules about the animal's age, health, and suitability, and the slaughter must follow halal procedures including the invocation of God's name. The meat is divided into three equal parts: one for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy. In urban contexts, many Muslims now perform their qurbani through professional services or charitable organizations that arrange the slaughter and distribution of meat to the poor in their own region or in donor-targeted regions in conflict zones, refugee camps, and famine areas.
Family visits, special meals, and Eidi gifts to children fill the rest of the day and the three following. In Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, the festival overlaps with the conclusion of the Hajj – pilgrims complete the symbolic stoning of the devil at Mina, the qurbani in Mecca, and the tawaf al-ifadah circumambulation of the Kaaba. In Turkey, Eid al-Adha is called Kurban Bayramı; in West Africa, Tabaski; in Indonesia, Idul Adha.
In 2026, Eid al-Adha falls in the Northern Hemisphere late spring, and prayer-ground temperatures across the Gulf and South Asia will be mid-to-high. Saudi Arabia, where the Hajj coincides with the Northern Hemisphere summer until 2029, has invested heavily in cooling, shade, and water infrastructure for pilgrims at Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.
Eid al-Adha falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah. The Hijri calendar's start of Dhu al-Hijjah is determined by the new crescent moon sighting after sunset. For 2026, astronomical calculations place the start of Dhu al-Hijjah on May 18, with Yawm Arafah on May 26 and Eid al-Adha on May 27 in most regions. Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court is the authority for the global Hajj calendar; many Muslims worldwide align their Eid al-Adha with the Saudi date even when their countries' moon-sighting committees differ on Eid al-Fitr.
Eid al-Adha 2026 follows Eid al-Fitr 2026 (March 20, 2026). The Hajj season builds toward the Islamic New Year in Muharram 2026 on June 16, with Day of Ashura on June 25. The family overview is at the Islamic festival hub. For comparable sacrifice and remembrance themes across traditions, see Passover in the Jewish festival hub.
When is Eid al-Adha in 2026? Expected on Wednesday May 27, 2026 – subject to local moon sighting; some regions may observe May 26 or May 28.
How is Eid al-Adha observed? Through the morning Eid prayer, qurbani (ritual sacrifice of a sheep, goat, cow, or camel), distribution of meat to family, friends, and the poor in equal thirds, family visits, and special meals.
Is Eid al-Adha a public holiday? Yes, in nearly every Muslim-majority country – typically four days in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and three days in most of South Asia.
What is the typical greeting? "Eid Mubarak" (blessed Eid) or "Eid Saeed" (happy Eid); in Turkish, "Bayramınız kutlu olsun"; in Indonesian, "Selamat Idul Adha"; in Hausa (West Africa), "Barka da Sallah."
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