Eid al-Adha 2026

When Is Eid al-Adha in 2026?

In 2026, Eid al-Adha falls on May 27. The observance lasts 4 days (10–13 Dhu al-Hijjah). Because Eid al-Adha follows a 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, Hijri lunar calendar; the day after pilgrims descend from Mount Arafat during Hajj, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. Tied to the Hajj calendar in Saudi Arabia; the Arafat day and Eid date are declared by Saudi authorities. Local moon/rukyat committees in South and Southeast Asia, West Africa, and North America may declare Eid ±1 day different. The sacrificial ritual begins after sunrise on the 10th. Since Eid al-Adha's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 May 27 2027 May 17 2028 May 5 2029 April 24 2030 April 14

What Time Does Eid al-Adha Start in Your Time Zone?

Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha is determined by the Hijri lunar calendar, but the day is anchored more firmly because it follows the climax of the Hajj, which is governed by the official Saudi calendar. The Day of Arafah — the day before Eid, when pilgrims stand in prayer on the plain of Arafat — falls on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, and Eid al-Adha follows on the 10th. Because Saudi Arabia's Umm al-Qura calendar fixes these dates years in advance, most of the Muslim world now aligns with the Saudi declaration, and the global observance is more synchronized than Eid al-Fitr. Even so, small variations remain. Some South Asian and Southeast Asian communities that follow local moon sightings may observe Eid al-Adha one day later than Saudi Arabia. In 2026, Saudi Arabia and most of the world will mark Eid al-Adha on May 27, but a handful of communities in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh may observe it on May 28. The Day of Arafah fast, observed by non-pilgrims on the day before Eid, follows the same pattern. The table below shows the observance date for Eid al-Adha in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA May 27 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK May 27 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India May 27 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia May 27 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE May 27 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha — the "festival of the sacrifice" — is the holiest day on the Islamic calendar, and it tells a story that sits at the heart of three world religions. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Ibrahim (known as Abraham in the Bible and Torah) was commanded by God in a dream to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail. Ibrahim, despite the agony of the order, prepared to obey. As he raised the knife, God intervened and replaced the boy with a ram, declaring that the sacrifice had been accepted. The festival commemorates this act of unwavering faith. Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which makes it the climactic day of the Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims performing Hajj in Mecca spend this day at Mina, where they symbolically stone three pillars representing the devil's temptation of Ibrahim. For Muslims not on Hajj, the day is observed wherever they live, but the spiritual link to Mecca is central — every Eid al-Adha around the world echoes what is happening on the plains of Mina. The festival lasts four days, and its central ritual is the qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of an animal — typically a sheep, goat, cow, or camel, depending on regional tradition and family wealth. The meat is divided in three portions: one-third for the family, one-third for friends and relatives, and one-third for the poor. This division is not optional generosity; it is a religious obligation that ensures the feast reaches those who could not afford their own animal.

How Eid al-Adha Is Celebrated

The morning of Eid al-Adha mirrors Eid al-Fitr in structure but carries a different emotional texture. Worshippers gather for a special congregational prayer shortly after sunrise, often in mosques or open prayer grounds. The sermon recalls Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice what he loved most, and the imam typically exhorts the community to embody that same spirit of submission and generosity. After prayer, families return home to perform the qurbani or to arrange for a butcher to do so on their behalf. The slaughter itself follows precise rules. The animal must be healthy and above a certain age. The butcher faces the animal toward Mecca, pronounces the name of God, and uses a sharp knife to ensure a swift death. In many countries, professional slaughterhouses and Islamic charities now handle qurbani on behalf of families, with the meat distributed to refugee camps, orphanages, and food banks. Organizations like Islamic Relief and Muslim Hands coordinate global qurbani programs that feed millions each year. The four days of Eid al-Adha are a time of intense social visiting. In Turkey, the festival is called Kurban Bayramı, and families visit elders in order of seniority, kissing their hands and receiving small gifts in return. In Pakistan and India, the holiday is associated with rich meat dishes — biryani, korma, nihari — and the streets fill with children showing off their new outfits. In West Africa, the festival is known as Tabaski and is the single biggest social event of the year, with families saving for months to purchase the prized ram that will be slaughtered. Why Does Eid al-Adha Move Every Year? Eid al-Adha drifts backward through the Gregorian calendar at the same rate as Eid al-Fitr — about 11 days earlier each year — because both follow the strictly lunar Hijri calendar. In 2026 it falls on May 27; by 2030 it will have moved to May 11. Over a 33-year cycle, the festival tours every season, which means the experience of Eid al-Adha shifts dramatically depending on where in the cycle you happen to be. A summer Eid means long, hot days of feasting and visiting; a winter Eid means cozy gatherings and shorter travel days. The 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah is fixed within the Hijri calendar, but the Islamic calendar itself is shorter than the solar year by about 11 days, so the Gregorian equivalent must be recalculated every year. The Umm al-Qura calendar, which Saudi Arabia uses as its civil reference, is calculated astronomically and is therefore predictable years in advance. That's why our future-dates table can confidently list 2026 through 2030 — though, as always, local moon-sighting communities may shift by a day.

Calendar Calculation

10 Dhu al-Hijjah, Hijri lunar calendar; the day after pilgrims descend from Mount Arafat during Hajj

Traveling for Eid al-Adha? Where to Go

Eid al-Adha is the most travel-intensive holiday in the Islamic world because it coincides with the climax of the Hajj. Roughly 2.5 million pilgrims converge on Mecca each year, and millions more Muslims travel internationally to be with family for the four-day festival. In Turkey, the bayram exodus from Istanbul to Anatolian hometowns fills every highway and ferry for days. In Pakistan, trains to the northern regions and Punjab villages book out weeks in advance. Even in diaspora communities in Europe and North America, families coordinate time off work and school for travel to be with extended family. Top destinations for this holiday: Mecca: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Medina: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Istanbul: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Marrakech: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Dubai: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for eid al-adha, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Mecca fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Eid al-Adha travel →]

Did You Know? Eid al-Adha Facts & Trivia

The qurbani sacrifice on Eid al-Adha commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail. According to Islamic tradition, God replaced Ismail with a ram at the last moment — a story also found in the Bible and Torah, though Christian and Jewish traditions identify the son as Isaac rather than Ishmail. The total number of animals sacrificed during Eid al-Adha worldwide is estimated at over 100 million annually. In Pakistan alone, approximately 10 million animals are sacrificed each year, with the meat distributed to family, friends, and the poor. Eid al-Adha coincides with the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage, when pilgrims on the plain of Mina symbolically stone three pillars representing the devil's temptation of Ibrahim. The largest pillar — the Jamarat — receives the first stones, and the ritual continues for three days. The four days of Eid al-Adha are a public holiday in most Muslim-majority countries. In Bangladesh, the festival is called "Eid-ul-Azha" and is associated with the largest single-day movement of cattle in the country, as families transport sacrificial animals from rural areas to cities.