Eid al-Adha

On Sunday, May 16, 2027, Muslims observe Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, the greater of the two Eids. Falling at the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage, it is a day of prayer, finest clothes, family visits, and sharing food with those in need.

MAY16

Sunday, May 16Every year on May 16

days to go

Roots: Eid al-Adha honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, and in the Islamic telling, God provided a lamb to sacrifice in the son's place.
Also on May 16: Pentecost Sunday
Hashtag: #EidAlAdha

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3 ways to celebrate

WITH FRIENDS

Offer the Greeting

Greet Muslim friends and neighbors with Eid Mubarak, Arabic for Have a blessed Eid, the greeting exchanged throughout the festival.

WITH FAMILY

Share a Meal

Feasts follow the morning prayers. Share a meal with family, friends, or neighbors, in the generous spirit of the day.

IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Give to Those in Need

The Qurbani meat is shared in thirds, with one part for the poor and needy. Donate food or money so that everyone eats well.

Plan ahead

Eid al-Adha is observed on May 16 every year. Here is where it lands for the next ten years, handy for planners, marketers and party people.

2026Sat, May 16this year

2027Sun, May 16

2028Tue, May 16

2029Wed, May 16

2030Thu, May 16

2031Fri, May 16

2032Sun, May 16

2033Mon, May 16

2034Tue, May 16

2035Wed, May 16

2036Fri, May 16

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Fast facts

It falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar, at the end of Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

The meat of the Qurbani sacrifice is divided into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives, friends, and neighbors, and one for the poor and needy.

The story

Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. In the Islamic telling, before the sacrifice could take place, God provided a lamb to sacrifice in the son's place. The story the festival commemorates is shared across faiths, with a version appearing in the Torah and in the Bible's Old Testament as well as the Quran.

Read the full story

The festival comes at the end of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid al-Adha is the greater of the two Eids, and its observances traditionally run up to four days.

The day begins with special morning Eid prayers, with worshippers dressed in their finest clothes, followed by a sermon. Families who can afford it perform Qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of a sheep, goat, cow, or camel, and the meat is divided into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives, friends, and neighbors, and one for the poor and needy. Afterwards come family visits, feasts, and gifts.

The greeting exchanged is Eid Mubarak, Arabic for Have a blessed Eid. May 16, 2027 is the expected date, based on the calculated calendar; the date is tentative until the Dhul Hijjah crescent is sighted, and a few communities may observe it a day later by local sighting.