Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr are the only Islamic holidays that are celebrated globally every year. Eid al-Adha lasts four days is celebrated on the 10 th day of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid al-Adha is considered holier than Eid al-Fitr since it is a celebration of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his san as an act of obedience. 1 Since God provided a goat instead, the holiday is marked ritually with the sacrifice of an animal that is divided into three parts. One part is offered to the needy and poor, the second part is given to family members, and the third is keep at home. 2 On the other hand, Christmas is a Christian religious and cultural holiday that is celebrated on the 25 th day of the December, the last month of the Gregorian calendar. The holiday is celebrated to mark the birth of Jesus Christ 3 . Traditionally, the holiday is referred to as the Feast of Nativity indicating that Jesus was born in Bethlehem to fulfil the messianic prophecies.
A Comparison between Muslim Celebration of Eid al-Adha vs Americans and Christmas
While Christmas is celebrated in families’ living rooms with families and friends and a decorated tree, Eid al-Adha is mostly celebrated in the streets. However, both celebrations are marked with giving presents and gifts. Like Christians travel home to celebrate Christmas, most Muslims make pilgrimage home to unite with their families. Additionally, Eid al-Adha like Christmas extends beyond family spheres. Eid is taking the colorful local decorations like the moon- and crescent-shaped colorful circlets hanging off lampposts. Recent trends suggest that the holiday has gone mainstream but unlike Christmas, Muslims’ spiritual aspect of Eid al-Adha have been kept intact. During the holiday, mosques experience larger congregations than any another time of the year. The same experience is common in Christian churches especially the early morning hours of the Christmas day.
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Most Muslims acknowledge when non-Muslims recognize their holiday. It tends to be very tiring to live in nations like the United States where the main two holidays they have are not perceived as national holidays. The two biggest religions have a happy celebration which includes sharing gifts. Muslims celebrate Abraham's sacrifice during the festival of Eid ul Adha 4 . Christians honor Jesus' birth at Christmas. In that regard, the two religions have increased the appreciation of each other especially in the twenty-first century. It so happens that in 2007 and 2008 these celebrations were celebrated around the same time. With an end goal to support common regard between various beliefs, certain networks freely displayed the menorah, the Christmas tree and the crescent moon and star.
The Eid al-Adha celebration comes from a commonplace story that is regularly heard in Christianity and Judaism. Abraham is a significant prophet in Islamic religion and the “father of faith” in Christianity. While some of people may connect this story with Isaac, Abraham's second son, Muslims credit the holiday to Ismail. It remembers Abraham and Ismail's eagerness to comply with God's interest of sacrifice. 5 Abraham had a dream of him sacrificing his son as he trusted it to be an awesome request from God. When he told his son Ismail of the vision, Ismail trusted Abraham should satisfy his vision.
During Eid al Adha, Muslim men, women, and children should dress in the best strict attire and perform uncommon Eid prayers at the mosque or outside with a large gathering. 6 On the other hand, Christmas is marked with the choice to wear one’s favorite clothes but the idea of dressing like Santa Claus is highly popularized especially in the mainstream media. As a major aspect of the festivals, Muslims customarily sacrifice domestic animals to represent the sacrifice Ibrahim made in the first story. On the other hand, Christians often slaughter domestic animals for the purposes of feasting and not as rituals. 7
In the Quran, it is composed that Allah appeared to Ibrahim in a fantasy and directed him to sacrifice his son Isma'il. Ibrahim needed to adhere to the guidelines given to demonstrate his submission to God. However, this was a major test with respect to Ibrahim to offer his son whom he adored without a doubt. It is from this that the Eid al-Adha significance is inferred, the festival of sacrifice. Ibrahim was enticed by the villain not to adhere to the guidelines given to him by God, however he realized this would mean ignoring Allah. On the other hand, Christmas holiday is used to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. For Christian, the birth of Jesus Christ marks the arrival of a savior who washes away all their sins later on in his life. 8
During Eid al-Adha celebrations, mosques and other local gatherings additionally make game plans for common gatherings in the soul of sharing. The animal sacrificed during the festival should be healthy and over a particular age. The beginning of this significant festival is set apart by Muslim devoted setting off to the mosque for supplications. They should get into their best clothes and make sure to express profound gratitude to Allah for all the leniency and favors he has offered to them. Aside from going for petitions, Eid al-Adha is additionally a period for Muslims to see loved ones. During the festival, the dedicated are called upon to give what they need to noble cause to celebrate too. For Christians, the Christmas day is mostly celebrated in family gatherings. However, most Christians visit churches for prayers especially in the early morning hours of the day. Others spend the Eve of the Christmas in churches and spend the Christmas day at home.
In light of the Islam lunar calendar, the date of the Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah. It should be four days after the start of Hajj. The dates for this festival vary from one year to another moving roughly 11 days sooner every year. 9 The specific day of celebration is dependent on a genuine location of the moon. In any case, a few workplaces and organizations may stay open during that day since it is a discretionary holiday in as much as it is a public holiday. On the other hand, Christmas celebrations are celebrated on a fixed day of the Gregorian calendar which is the 25 th day of the last month of the year. The celebrations extend to the nest day popularly known as the Boxing Day. 10 The Boxing Day is a holiday that marks the day to open gifts received during the Christmas day.
Conclusion
Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha and the Americans and Christmas have many similarities. From a general point of view, the two celebrations represent happiness and a reminder of beliefs in religion. As we attempt to observe what lies at the core of these two festivals, we have to go past shallow images that can hinder us from seeing the fundamental significance. Also, as significant as these holidays may be, no place in the Bible does God offer directions to celebrate both of them with a festive celebration. Usually, Christians and Muslims can show shared regard by figuring out each other's perspectives on these holidays.
Bibliographies
Brooks, Felicity. Christmas . London: Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2017.
Jones, Grace. Eid Al-Adha . Kings Lynn, Norfolk: Book Life, 2018.
Podeh, Elie. “Celebrations and Ceremonies in Arab–Islamic Lands.” The Politics of National Celebrations in the Arab Middle East , 2014, 34–54. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511734748.004.
Rathey, Markus. “Redefining Christmas.” Johann Sebastian Bachs Christmas Oratorio , 2016, 13–49. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190275259.003.0002.
Salem, Jackleen. “Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr, and Eid Al-Adha:” The Practice of Islam in America , May 2017, 83–103. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1pwtb7t.8.
Satt, Harit. “Eid Mawlid Al-Nabi, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha; Optimism and Impact on Analysts’ Recommendations: Evidence From MENA Region.” Arab Economic and Business Journal 12, no. 1 (2017): 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aebj.2017.04.001.
Shengold, Leonard. “Christian Holidays: Christmas, New Year’s Day, Lent, and Easter.” The Promise , 2018, 103–13. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429482847-11.
Wingett, Fiona, and Sarah Turnbull. “Halal Holidays: Exploring Expectations of Muslim-Friendly Holidays.” Journal of Islamic Marketing 8, no. 4 (2017): 642–55. https://doi.org/10.1108/jima-01-2016-0002.
1 Jackleen Salem, “Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr, and Eid Al-Adha:” The Practice of Islam in America , May 2017, pp. 83-103, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1pwtb7t.8)
2 Leonard Shengold, “Christian Holidays: Christmas, New Year’s Day, Lent, and Easter,” The Promise , 2018, pp. 103-113, https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429482847-11)
3 Felicity Brooks, Christmas (London: Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2017))
4 Grace Jones, Eid Al-Adha (Kings Lynn, Norfolk: Book Life, 2018))
5 Harit Satt, “Eid Mawlid Al-Nabi, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha; Optimism and Impact on Analysts’ Recommendations: Evidence From MENA Region,” Arab Economic and Business Journal 12, no. 1 (2017): pp. 57-67, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aebj.2017.04.001)
6 Elie Podeh, “Celebrations and Ceremonies in Arab–Islamic Lands,” The Politics of National Celebrations in the Arab Middle East, 2014, pp. 34-54, https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511734748.004)
7 Fiona Wingett and Sarah Turnbull, “Halal Holidays: Exploring Expectations of Muslim-Friendly Holidays,” Journal of Islamic Marketing 8, no. 4 (2017): pp. 642-655, https://doi.org/10.1108/jima-01-2016-0002)
8 Markus Rathey, “Redefining Christmas,” Johann Sebastian Bachs Christmas Oratorio , 2016, pp. 13-49, https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190275259.003.0002)
9 Elie Podeh, “Celebrations and Ceremonies in Arab–Islamic Lands,” The Politics of National Celebrations in the Arab Middle East , 2014, pp. 34-54, https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511734748.004)
10 Markus Rathey, “Redefining Christmas,” Johann Sebastian Bachs Christmas Oratorio , 2016, pp. 13-49, https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190275259.003.0002)
