Getty ImagesMillions of Muslims in the UK and around the world are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Adha.
It takes place two months after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar.
Festivals in Islam are based on the lunar calendar, so the dates of Ramadan and both Eids change each year.
What is Eid al-Adha, and how is it different from Eid al-Fitr?
The word "Eid" means feast or festival. Every year Muslims celebrate both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Eid al-Fitr takes place at the end of Ramadan, and translates as "the festival of the breaking of the fast".
Like Ramadan, it starts with the first sighting of the new moon.
Eid al-Adha - which means "feast of the sacrifice" - is celebrated just over two months after Eid al-Fitr and lasts for four days.
It coincides with the end of the Hajj - the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia - and commemorates the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's orders.
ReutersHajj pilgrims in 2022 were again able to touch one of Islam's most important relics - the Black Stone of the sacred Kaaba building in Mecca - after pandemic restrictions were liftedWhen is Eid al-Adha?
This year Eid al-Adha takes place between Wednesday 28 June and Monday 3 July.
What happens at Eid?
During both festivals, many Muslims attend Eid prayers at their mosque early in the morning.
In the Middle East, these are held straight after the Fajr morning prayer. In the UK, they take place any time from 07:00 onwards.
It is traditional to wear new clothes for Eid and to eat something sweet on the way to the mosque, such as a date, and recite a short prayer, called a takbeer.
Getty ImagesBefore Eid prayers, every Muslim is obliged to make a donation to charity to help feed the poor.
In many countries, both Eids are public holidays and people often enjoy large meals with friends and family.
It is also common for elders to give money to children and younger members of their family.
To wish someone well at Eid, you can say "Eid Mubarak".
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the Arabic name for the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It falls on a different date every year, because of the cycles of the moon.
In 2023, Ramadan started on Wednesday 22 March, and finished on Friday 21 April.
PA MediaIt is considered one of the holiest months for Muslims and is marked by a period of fasting, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
These are five principles which Muslims believe are compulsory acts ordered by God: the other pillars are faith, prayer, charity and making the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Muslims believe that some of the first verses of the Islamic holy book, the Qu'ran, were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during the month of Ramadan.
Extra emphasis is therefore placed on reciting the Qu'ran at this time.
Muslims are also encouraged to give to charity, strengthen their relationship with God, and show kindness and patience.
Some believers also perform an additional night prayer, called Taraweeh, which only takes place during Ramadan.
If you want to wish someone well, you can say "Ramadan Mubarak", which means "Blessed Ramadan", or "Ramadan Kareem", which translates as "Generous Ramadan".
How does fasting work?
Muslims have an early morning meal before dawn, known as suhoor or sehri.
They do not eat or drink anything - including water - until they break their fast after sunset for the evening meal, called iftar or fitoor.
Fasting should only be done by people who are in good health.
Some Muslims are exempt:
- those who are sick or ill and whose health will be affected by fasting
- children who have not reached puberty - although some begin to practise fasting before then
- pregnant and breastfeeding women
- menstruating women
- travellers
How are the dates for Ramadan and Eid set?
The Islamic calendar follows the 12-month lunar calendar.
Ramadan is the ninth month, and Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the beginning of the 10th month, Shawwal. Eid al-Adha takes place during Dhu al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar.
Each month begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon and lasts either 29 or 30 days.
In the past, this was done by the naked eye, but in recent years, telescopes and technology have been used.
Getty ImagesThe beginning of Ramadan in Delhi, 2020Muslim countries are spread across a large geographical area, from Indonesia to Morocco, meaning that some Muslims see the new moon earlier than others.
"Traditionally, Makkah [Mecca in Saudi Arabia] was the centre of sighting the moon," says Prof Muhammad Abdel Haleem, from the Centre of Islamic Studies at SOAS in London.
"Sometimes even in the Middle East, neighbouring countries will say they've seen the moon on different days," he says.
The lunar calendar is about 10 days shorter than the Western calendar, which is based on the cycle of the sun.
This means that each year Ramadan starts about 10 days earlier than the previous year, and over time gets earlier and earlier in the year.
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