Eid al-Adha is the Muslim holy day that honors the sacrifice Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to make in obedience to God’s command: the life of his beloved son Ismael. But when Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God — impressed by Ibrahim’s faith — provided a sacrificial ram in the boy’s place. Muslims now celebrate this event by sharing a slaughtered animal in three parts: one part for themselves, one for their family, and the third part is given to the needy. We can all join in this spirit of sharing on this special day. The holiday will be mainly celebrated on June 7 this year.
Flitch Day
Flitch Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated annually on July 19. It dates back to an ancient custom that saw married couples earning a flitch of bacon by proving the strength of their union after a year. The couple would stand trial to prove their love and faithfulness to each other after a year and a day of their marriage, and, if successful, they were given a flitch of bacon as an award. While this tradition is no longer actively practiced, it is still celebrated every three to four years at the Dunmow Flitch Trials.
Day of Arafah
The Day of Arafah (or Arafat) is the ninth day of the Islamic lunar month — June 5 this year. It’s on the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul- Hijjah and is also on the second day of Hajj. Muslims view this as the best day of the year. The day is the culminating event for Muslims on pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia who gather at the mountain plain of Arafah to pray, and supplicate for forgiveness. Pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Islam, so the Day of Arafah holds much weight for Muslims. The Day of Arafah is known as the day where if sought after, millions of Muslims’ sins are forgiven by Allah. Arafah is known as the day Allah perfected the religion of Islam. It is also momentous because it was the day an important verse of the Qur’an, Surah al Maa’idah 5:3, was revealed. In the UAE, the Day of Arafah is celebrated as a public holiday.