Eid al-Adha, and the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, marks the Islam’s most important holiday. A joyful four-day festival that is an occasion to visit family and friends, eat fruits of the season and wear brand new clothes bought especially for the occasion, gifts for the children. This year, though, as cash-strapped Afghans grapple with uncertainty, poverty, drought and unemployment, preparations for Eid Qurban seem lacklustre and less animated than usual.
Afghans take part in Eid al-Adha congregational prayers at the Eidgah mosque in Kandahar.
Photo: Javed Tanveer/AFP, 9 July 2022.
To celebrate Eid al-Adha, or Eid-e Qurban as it is called in Dari, literally meaning the Feast of the Sacrifice, Muslims who can afford to, sacrifice animals such as sheep, goats and cows, which is distributed to the poor and to neighbours and friends, keeping only a third for their own household. For those who want to read more about how Afghans celebrate Eid al-Adha, see our report “Guts prettily coiled: A guide to Eid Sacrifices”.
The Afghanistan Analysts Network wishes a joyful Eid al-Adha to all its friends and readers and to all the people of Afghanistan. We hope that the blessings of this Eid-e Qurban bring stability and prosperity to Afghanistan.
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This article was last updated on 28 Jun 2023
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Eid al-Adha
