Muslims around the world get ready for Eil al-Adha

RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – This year, Muslims worldwide will celebrate Eid between June 28 and 30.

Indonesia has the world’s highest Muslim population, with some 230 million Muslims living in the country.

According to Aljazeera Pakistan is second with about 212 million Muslims, followed by India (200 million), Bangladesh (150 million) and Nigeria (100 million).

Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated on the third day of Hajj.

It is the second major Muslim festival in the Islamic calendar after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.

There are about 1.9 billion Muslims around the world, approximately 25 percent of the world population.

What happens during Eid al-Adha?

In the days leading up to Eid al-Adha, Muslims engage in various preparations. This includes cleaning the house, buying new clothes and preparing special meals for the festivities.

On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims who can afford it are required to sacrifice an animal and distribute a set percentage of its meat to those less fortunate. This is done in symbolic remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim who, according to Islamic tradition, was asked to sacrifice his son Ismail by God.

The rest of the holiday is spent with relatives and friends visiting each other, exchanging greetings and gifts and enjoying festive meals.