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Rabat – Eid Al Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of the holiest days in the Muslim calendar.
The date of Eid Al Adha is announced every year by religious authorities around the world. It changes every year, as the Muslim calendar follows the moon’s cycles.
According to the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Eid Al Adha will be celebrated this year on August 12.
Eid Al Adha, also called Eid Al Kbir or the “Big Eid,” falls on the tenth day of the Islamic month of Dhu Hijja. It marks the end date of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam.
What is Eid Al Adha?
The Eid Al Adha celebration honors the willingness of Ibrahim, recognized as a prophet in Islam, to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah’s command. Muslims believe that Ibrahim was spared from sacrificing his son when Allah instead provided a lamb for sacrifice.
Read Also: Moroccan Leather Industry to Use Sacrificed Eid Al Adha Sheep’s Skins
Muslim families across the world will sacrifice an animal, usually a sheep, goat, cow, or camel in celebration of the day.
The meat is cooked, forming the basis of stews, roasts and barbecues. The symbolic significance of the sacrifice also includes sharing with the poor. A large part of the animal, usually a third, is given away.
Food safety during Eid
To ensure food safety during the festival, the Moroccan National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) has carried out a rigorous vaccination and animal tagging campaign, aimed at preventing the spread of foot and mouth disease and other illnesses.
The Moroccan Secretary of State for Sustainable Development also launch the “Clean Eid Al Adha” campaign on July 24.
The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness on the importance of keeping slaughter areas clean, and disposing of slaughter residues appropriately. This year’s campaign is also calling on Moroccans to preserve the skins of sacrificed animals, so that they can be collected and treated, then used in Morocco’s leather industry.
