Celebrating Eid al-Adhu
The Festival of Sacrifice
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To consider the celebration of Eid al-Adhu.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint sides accompanying this assembly (Celebrating Eid al-Adhu) and the means to display them.
- You will need the YouTube clip ‘How are you celebrating Eid al-Adha? - Newsround’ and the means to show it.This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahzGRQO_vao
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Welcome the students to the assembly. - Show Slide 2.
For anyone celebrating, the Islamic feast that falls in June this year, I’d like to wish you ‘Eid Mubarak’ – a happy, or blessed, Eid.
For anyone who doesn’t celebrate this festival themselves, I’d like to help you to know a bit more about this important festival, so you can better understand why Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha. - There are 2 main festivals in the Islamic religion.
Ask the question: Can anyone name them both?
Listen to answers from students.
Point out that they are called ‘Eid al-Fitr’ and ‘Eid al-Adha’. - Eid is the Arabic word for festival or celebration. It's used by Muslims and Arabic-speaking Christians, to refer to their holidays.
Eid al-fitr literally means ‘the festival of the breaking of the Fast’. This is the Islamic festival that is celebrated at the end of Ramadan.
Eid al-Adha literally means ‘Festival of Sacrifice’. - In 2025, Eid al-Adha will begin on the evening of Friday 6 June and end on the evening of Tuesday 10 June.
Show Slide 3.
During the previous week, many Muslims around the world will have made a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca or will have been thinking about and praying for others who are on this pilgrimage. - During this time of pilgrimage, Muslims remember the trials of an important Prophet known as Ibrahim, or Abraham. The Qur’an records how Ibrahim was asked to make a great sacrifice for the sake of God. Ibrahim dreamed that Allah told him to sacrifice his son. The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his son. However, Ibrahim remained strong. Just as he was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him and gave him a lamb to sacrifice instead. Ibrahim had shown his willingness to remain loyal to Allah.
- Show Slide 4.
Let’s watch this short video to better understand what Eid al-Adha celebrates and how this festival is celebrated. Show the YouTube clip ‘How are you celebrating Eid al-Adha? - Newsround’. - So, as we’ve seen Eid al-Adha is a is a time for Muslims to remember God’s love and kindness as well as the importance of making sacrifices in life in line with the will of God.
Time for reflection
Islam, Christianity and Judaism are sometimes known as the three Abrahamic faiths. This is because the Prophet Abraham or Ibrahim is an important figure in all three religions. The Qur’an account of Ibrahim being willing to sacrifice his son is similar to a passage in the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish Torah. There are important differences between these three Abrahamic faiths, of course, but the theme of a willingness to be loyal and faithful, and the theme of God’s love and kindness are central themes to each of these three world faiths.
Let’s take a moment to give ourselves opportunity to reflect on what some of these themes might mean to us.
Let’s consider, firstly, the idea of gratitude. Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha as a way to show gratitude to Allah for God’s love and kindness.
What are we thankful for? Who do we have in our life that we appreciate, and are grateful for?
Pause to allow time for reflection.
Secondly, let’s consider the theme of loyalty and faithfulness.
Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha as a way to remember Ibrahim’s willingness to be faithful to Allah.
Do we value loyalty? Are we faithful and loyal to our friends and family? Who do we have in our life that we can trust to be there for us?
Pause to allow time for reflection.
Finally, let’s consider the idea of making sacrifices. Sometimes we choose to say no to something in order to say yes to something else. That can be considered a form of sacrifice. Giving up some of our time to help others or giving money to charity are all examples of sacrifice.
How important is it to us to make sacrifices in our lives? Is there anyone in our lives that we recognise as making sacrifices for our sake?
Pause to allow time for reflection.
Prayer
So, having had chance to reflect on what these ideas might mean for us, let us bring our thoughts together in prayer:
Dear Lord,
This June, Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha – the Festival of Sacrifice.
We pray for anyone celebrating this Festival, that they find meaning and purpose through the celebrations with family and friends.
We pray for a heart of gratitude and an attitude of faithfulness and loyalty in our own lives.
May we be quick to recognise other’s kindness and the sacrifices they make for us.
Help us also to be loyal and faithful to the people we love and value in our own lives.
Amen.
