Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, is an important festival celebrated by Muslims throughout the world. It is also called the Greater Eid (eid being the Arab word for festival). The festival commemorates the devotion of Ibrahim (Abraham) to God and his willingness to offer his only son, Isma’el (Ishmael) as a sacrifice. The festival falls on Dhu al-Hajjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. As the exact date is determined using moon sightings the festival date changes from year to year. However, it generally falls between the tenth and twelfth day of the month. In 2012, the festival will occur around the twenty sixth of October. The origins of the festival are revealed in the Quran (the Islamic holy book). According to the Islamic text roughly four millennia ago, the prophet Ibrahim kept having dreams of God instructing him to offer his son, then only thirteen, as a sacrifice. Ibrahim (who had been childless for a long time before the birth of Isma’el) decided to talk to his son about it. Isma’el indicated that he would be willing to obey God’s wishes no matter the cost and a date was set. However, on that day as Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his only son God sent him a message sparing Isma’el and asking that a goat be sacrificed instead. As a reward for his devotion Ibrahim was blessed with another son who would grow up to become the prophet Is-haaq (Isaac). As can be expected, the best celebrations will take place in the Middle East. Those interested in taking part in the festivities can try visiting an Islamic country like the United Arab Emirates, which is conservative but not overly restrictive. The Arab world really comes to life during the festival days and there is no better time to visit the region. Finding accommodation can be a bit of chore for foreigners touring the Middle East. It is always easier to book rooms with a place like the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Middle East which operates several Middle East hotels across the region. They also have several UAE hotels in strategic locations which can help tourists reduce their travel time.
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