Eid-ul-adha is the second Eid in islam. This year, it falls on June 15th, which I personally enjoy because I get to celebrate the holiday when I’m straight out of school. However, it also made me notice how interesting the islamic calendar is.
Our calendar is a lunar calendar based on how thin a crescent is after a new moon. That is the opposite of a Gregorian calendar which is not based on lunar phases. With a lunar calendar, our holidays get set back 12 days after every year. For example, Ramadan started on March 22, 2023, and this year, it started on the night of March 10th.
Growing up, I remember celebrating Eid with my friends over summer break, and now, it’s so close to school. Seeing how close Eid was to school made me realize how quickly time goes and how much we take time for granted. Up until now, I’ve never had the blessing (or struggle) of celebrating our holidays during the winter. I remember as a child, I’d always think to myself about how lucky I’d be if I could break my fast at 5pm instead of breaking it at 9pm. And now, I’ll be able to experience that in the near future.
Celebrating Eid in the summer is the only thing I’m used to. Celebrating in the spring seems so odd, but it’s going to happen sooner rather than later. I love celebrating Eid-ul-adha because it brings my culture, religion, and most importantly,my family together. Because it’s so close to the beginning of summer break this year, I have the joy of celebrating at home.
Although I won’t get into all of the religious aspects of the second Eid, I will say that it’s custom to have at least a piece of lamb on the table during our celebration. What’s typical or to expect during the holiday is definitely some prayers that will be held and a large feast. Did I also mention that we get a bunch of gifts from everyone, just like the first Eid that commences the month of Ramadan?
Thinking back to everything, I’ve noticed that time goes by quickly, even if I think it’s going by so slowly. I’m glad that I get to celebrate one of my favorite holidays at such a nice time of the year.
