Hari Raya Haji (which means “great day of the haj” in Malay), also known as Aidiladha (alternatively spelt as Eid al-Adha or Eid Adha) or the Great Day of Sacrifice, is a Muslim festival that falls on the 10th day of Zulhijjah (the 12th month in the Islamic calendar). The festival marks the end of the haj, which is the Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It also commemorates the willingness of the Islamic prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail in an act of obedience to Allah (God). One of the main rituals of the festival is the korban, which involves the sacrificial slaughtering of livestock. It is one of two major Muslim festivals in Singapore that are celebrated as public holidays (the other being Hari Raya Puasa).
Background - Hari Raya Haji is celebrated to mark the end of the Muslim pilgrimage known as the haj. According to the fifth pillar of Islam, all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so are obliged to undertake this pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. The haj retraces the journey of Prophet Muhammad’s pilgrimage to Mecca and must be undertaken during Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
The festival also commemorates the story of Ibrahim and his son Ismail, both of whom were said to have been guided by Allah to build the Kaaba: a square stone building in the centre of the Great Mosque in Mecca that is considered by Muslims to be their most holy site. It is in the direction of the Kabaa that all Muslims face during prayers. According to the story found in the Quran, Allah one day commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of his obedience. Just as Ibrahim was about to carry out this command, Allah intervened to stop him and allowed for the sacrifice of a sheep in place of his son. Ibrahim’s exemplary act of sacrifice and obedience to Allah is commemorated during Hari Raya Haji through the ritual of korban, which involves the sacrificial offering of livestock.
