The Feast of Sacrifice, known as Eid al-Adha, comes the day after Arafa. On the first day of Eid al-Adha the Eid prayer is recited in the morning and the end of the hajj or pilgrimage is celebrated. Also on this day Muslims remember Ishmael, son of Abraham, who was rescued from being sacrificed. Muslims usually sacrifice a sheep, which is divided into three parts: the first is eaten by the family, the second is given to relatives and the third part is given to the poor. Those who are making their pilgrimage to Mecca make the sacrifice, but otherwise Eid is not celebrated there in the same way as non-pilgrims.
Like Eid al-Fitr, the Eid al-Adha is a festival marked by visiting and getting in touch with relatives and members of the extended family. In Finland, it is also customary to give children gifts on this day. In Muslim countries the practice varies: in some parts of the world children are only given gifts at Eid al-Adha. It is also known as Eid al-Kabir, or the Major Festival. For Eid al-Adha, Muslims also wish one another Eid mubarak, a blessed or good feast.
Eid al-Adha lasts for four days, during which there must be no fasting for non-pilgrims.
