[custom_adv] The festival celebrates a story about a prophet called Ibrahim (Abraham). Ibrahim had been told by Allah (God) that he must sacrifice his son Ishamel (Ishmael) to prove his faith to Allah. [custom_adv] Every year, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha to remember Ibrahim’s loyalty and obedience to Allah above all others. And because of Ibrahim’s actions, Eid al-Adha is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. [custom_adv] One of the most important holidays of the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha marks the height of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. [custom_adv] It commemorates the story in the Quran of God appearing to Ibrahim -- also known as Abraham -- in a dream and commanding him to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience. [custom_adv] Muslims believe that as Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God stopped his hand and gave him a sheep or ram in place of his son. A version of the story also appears in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament and in the Torah. [custom_adv] It is a time of celebration when families gather for meals, visit relatives and friends, and children are given money and new clothes. It's also a time when families visit the graves of their loved ones and donate to the poor.
