Eid-al-Adha in United States
Quick Facts
Eid-al-Adha is an Islamic festival to mark Ibrahim's willingness to follow Allah's command to sacrifice his son. It is celebrated around the 10th to 13th days of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.Local names
| Name | Language |
|---|---|
| Eid-al-Adha | English |
| Eid-al-Adha | Spanish |
Eid-al-Adha 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010Eid-al-Adha 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011Note: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.
See list of observations below
Eid al-Adha is a time for wishing one another well. ©iStockphoto.com/Aman Khan
What do people do?
Many Muslims in the United States celebrate Eid al-Adha with prayers and social gatherings. The Eid al-Adha services can attract thousands of Muslims in various places such as Chicago (Illinois) and Orlando (Florida). Many Muslims of many heritages, including North Africa, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, wear traditional clothes and share their national dishes. It is a time for prayer, sharing meals, handing out gifts and wishing one another well.
Eid al-Adha follows from the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, in which Muslims are required to make at least once in their lives. Eid al-Adha is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice because it traditionally includes the sacrifice of an animal permitted for food (eg. a lamb) as an act of thanksgiving for God’s mercy. Some Muslims seek out a farm where they can carry out the sacrifice, but many also send money to their native lands to help fund a sacrifice. Eid al-Adha lasts for up to three days and is a time to seek mercy from God.
Public life
Eid al-Adha is not a federal public holiday in the United States. However, some Islamic organizations may be closed or offer a reduced level of service and there may be some local traffic congestion around mosques.
Background
Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates accomplishment. Eid al-Adha also serves as a reminder of when Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to sacrifice his son to God, according to Islamic belief. The United States government issued postage stamps to commemorate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in previous years. These stamps aimed to highlight the business, educational and social contributions that Muslims made in the United States.
About Eid-al-Adha in other countries
Read more about Eid-al-Adha.Eid-al-Adha Observances
Note: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type | Where it is observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oct 20 | 1980 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Fri | Oct 9 | 1981 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | Sep 29 | 1982 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sun | Sep 18 | 1983 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Sep 6 | 1984 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Aug 27 | 1985 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sat | Aug 16 | 1986 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Aug 6 | 1987 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Mon | Jul 25 | 1988 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Fri | Jul 14 | 1989 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | Jul 4 | 1990 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sun | Jun 23 | 1991 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Jun 11 | 1992 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Jun 1 | 1993 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sat | May 21 | 1994 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | May 10 | 1995 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Mon | Apr 29 | 1996 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Fri | Apr 18 | 1997 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | Apr 8 | 1998 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sun | Mar 28 | 1999 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Mar 16 | 2000 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Mar 6 | 2001 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sat | Feb 23 | 2002 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | Feb 12 | 2003 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Mon | Feb 2 | 2004 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Fri | Jan 21 | 2005 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Jan 10 | 2006 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sun | Dec 31 | 2006 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Dec 20 | 2007 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Dec 9 | 2008 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sat | Nov 28 | 2009 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Wed | Nov 17 | 2010 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Mon | Nov 7 | 2011 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Fri | Oct 26 | 2012 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Tue | Oct 15 | 2013 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Sun | Oct 5 | 2014 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
| Thu | Sep 24 | 2015 | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim |
Related holiday
- Eid-al-Fitr–Friday, September 10, 2010
Other holidays in November 2010 in United States
- All Saints (Monday, November 1, 2010)
- All Saints' Day (Monday, November 1, 2010)
- Return Day Delaware (Tuesday, November 2, 2010)
- General Election Day (Some States) (Tuesday, November 2, 2010)
- Election Day (Tuesday, November 2, 2010)
- All Souls' Day (Tuesday, November 2, 2010)
- Diwali/Deepavali (Friday, November 5, 2010)
- International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (Saturday, November 6, 2010)
- Daylight Saving Time ends (Sunday, November 7, 2010)
- World Science Day for Peace and Development (Wednesday, November 10, 2010)
- Veterans Day (Thursday, November 11, 2010)
- World Diabetes Day (Sunday, November 14, 2010)
- International Day for Tolerance (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)
- World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)
- World Philosophy Day (Thursday, November 18, 2010)
- International Men's Day (Friday, November 19, 2010)
- Universal Children's Day (Saturday, November 20, 2010)
- Africa Industrialization Day (Saturday, November 20, 2010)
- World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (Sunday, November 21, 2010)
- World Television Day (Sunday, November 21, 2010)
- International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Thursday, November 25, 2010)
- Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 25, 2010)
- American Indian Heritage Day (Friday, November 26, 2010)
- Black Friday (Friday, November 26, 2010)
- First Sunday Advent (Sunday, November 28, 2010)
- International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Monday, November 29, 2010)
Other calendars
- Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
- Perpetual monthly calendar - shows only one month at a time
- Custom calendar - make customized calendars
