Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims (including the Druze) worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. However, God provided a ram in place once Ibrahim demonstrated his willingness to follow God's commands.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran.^[1] (Muslims in Iran celebrate a third, non-denominational Eid.) Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).

(... from Wikipedia on 2009-01-01 02:42:10 )