If, as a non-Muslim, you are already plotting which friends to visit today in anticipation of well-roasted or fried ram slaughtered to celebrate Eid, then we have bad news for you. This is not the Eid for rams.
Eid al-Fitr, which is also regarded as the ‘Festival of Breaking the Fast’ or ‘Lesser Eid’, marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
In this case, the emphasis is on expressing gratitude to Allah for the strength, patience, and privilege to observe and complete the obligatory fast during the month, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Its celebration does not require the slaughtering of a ram or any animal in particular.
On the other hand, Eid al-Adha, also known as the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’, is the one that involves the sacrifice of animals such as rams in celebration. It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Isma’il as an act of obedience and complete submission to Allah’s command. However, Allah provided a ram to sacrifice instead.
To mark this day, Muslims worldwide sacrifice animals such as sheep, goats, cows, or camels. The meat is divided into three parts: one-third for the family, one-third for relatives and friends, and one-third for the needy. And the date for it in 2024 is sometime in June.
So while you may be lucky to grab a few bites on your food tour today, you may have to rest your jaws until June for the big one. Nevertheless, we wish you a happy hunt!
