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Eid al-Adha 2027
Event overview
Festival of Sacrifice commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's submission to God. Expected on Monday May 17, 2027 (subject to moon sighting; some regions May 16). Eid prayer, qurbani, distribution of meat to family, friends and the poor.
Eid al-Adha 2027 – the Islamic festival of sacrifice – is expected on Monday May 17, 2027 (subject to moon sighting; some regions may observe Sunday May 16). 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 – "the festival of sacrifice" – commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) submission to God's command to sacrifice his son Isma'il, and God's intervention in providing a ram in the son's place at the moment of submission. The Quran (37:100-111) tells the story as a definitive example of unconditional submission to God's will (islam, in its root sense), and the qurbani – the ritual slaughter of an animal on the day of Eid – reenacts and remembers that act.
The festival falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Hijri calendar – immediately after Yawm Arafah, the most important day of the Hajj. 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, the Levant, North Africa, the Sahel, and West Africa, where the tie to the Hajj and the qurbani give the day its central religious gravity. The Hajj itself draws an estimated 2 million pilgrims to Mecca each year, with the largest year on record being 2012 at over 3.1 million.
The four days of the festival – 10, 11, 12, and 13 Dhu al-Hijjah – are the Days of Tashriq, during which qurbani is permissible and a special takbir is recited after each obligatory prayer.
The morning begins with ghusl (full ablution), new clothes, and the Eid prayer in congregation. The prayer takes place at large open Eidgah grounds or major mosques, immediately after sunrise, and is followed by a khutbah (sermon) from the imam. Unlike Eid al-Fitr, Muslims do not eat before the Eid al-Adha prayer; instead, the day's first meal is from the qurbani.
After the prayer comes qurbani. Muslims with the financial means slaughter a permitted animal – typically a sheep, goat, cow, or camel; the cow and camel can be shared among up to seven and ten families respectively. The sacrifice must follow halal procedures, including invocation of God's name, and 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 and the diaspora, many Muslims now perform qurbani through professional services or charitable organizations such as Islamic Relief, which arrange the slaughter in their region of origin or in conflict and famine areas; over $250 million in qurbani-related charitable giving flows annually through such channels.
In Mecca, the day overlaps with the Hajj rituals. After the previous day's gathering at Mount Arafat (Yawm Arafah, the spiritual centerpiece of the Hajj), pilgrims spend the night at Muzdalifah collecting pebbles, then proceed on the morning of Eid al-Adha to Mina to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil (rami al-jamarat), the qurbani at Mina, the shaving or shortening of hair (taqsir), and the tawaf al-ifadah circumambulation of the Kaaba. In Turkey, Eid al-Adha is Kurban Bayramı; in West Africa, Tabaski; in Indonesia, Idul Adha.
Eid al-Adha falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth Hijri month. The Saudi Arabian Supreme Court announces the start of Dhu al-Hijjah based on moon sighting, which then sets the global Hajj calendar. For 2027, astronomical calculations place the start of Dhu al-Hijjah on May 8, with Yawm Arafah on May 16 and Eid al-Adha on May 17 in most regions. Most Muslims worldwide align their Eid al-Adha with the Saudi date even when their national moon-sighting committees differ on Eid al-Fitr, because the Hajj rituals are anchored to the Saudi calendar.
Eid al-Adha 2027 follows Eid al-Fitr 2027 (March 10), which closed Ramadan 2027. The Hajj season leads into the Islamic New Year in Muharram 2027 on June 6. The family overview is at the Islamic festival hub.
When is Eid al-Adha in 2027? Expected on Monday May 17, 2027 – subject to local moon sighting; some regions may observe Sunday May 16.
How is Eid al-Adha observed? Through the morning Eid prayer, qurbani (ritual sacrifice of a sheep, goat, cow, or camel), distribution of meat in three equal parts, 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, three days in most of South Asia.
What is the typical greeting? "Eid Mubarak" or "Eid Saeed"; in Turkish, "Bayramınız kutlu olsun"; in Hausa, "Barka da Sallah"; in Bahasa, "Selamat Idul Adha."
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