The central government has changed the official holiday date for Eid-ul Adha again.
The Ministry of Personnel of the Government of India has said that Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha will now be celebrated on August 22 as opposed to August 23, the date which was announced by the Ministry earlier this month. The Centre has declared a holiday for all central government offices in Delhi on August 22.
The previous official notification stating that Bakrid or Eid-al Adha would be celebrated on August 23 now stands withdrawn.
The decision was made by the Centre with the reports of the Ruiyat Hilal Committee or the Moon deciding Committee. The committee is headed by Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari in Delhi.
The Muslim festival depends on the sighting of the crescent moon and falls on the 10th day of Du-al Hijja and two days after the annual pilgrimage to Hajj begins.
Eid al-Adha is known as the 'Greater Eid' and translates to "festival of sacrifice" or "feast of sacrifice." Cattle such as goats, ram, sheep, cows, and camel are sacrificed in honour of Prophet Ibrahim agreeing to sacrifice his own son at the command of God. God was touched by this gesture and just as the Prophet Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God told him to kill an animal instead and commanded all Muslims who go to Hajj and is financially capable to perform the sacrifice on the 10th day of Du-al Hijja according to the Islamic calendar.
