When is Eid Al Adha 2024 in Ghana? Date, meaning, observance, traditions and wishes

When is Eid Al Adha 2024 in Ghana? Date, meaning, observance, traditions and wishes

No doubt, Eid al-Adha is among the most important days in the Islamic calendar. The holiday is celebrated in commemoration of Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his only son to show his obedience to God. Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice or Feast of the Sacrifice, is celebrated by all Islam believers worldwide.

Eid al-Adha
Muslims in Kumasi city of Ghana perform the prayer of Eid al-Adha. Photo: Mohamed Hossam
Source: Getty Images

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Just like all the other Islamic ceremonies, Eid al-Adha is celebrated with so much zeal in Ghana. Muslim men, women, and children dress in the best religious clothes and perform Eid prayers at mosques or outdoors. A short sermon always follows the prayers.

What is the meaning of Eid al-Adha?

Eid-ul-Adha is a Muslim holiday commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's love for Allah and willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail. But, instead, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram, right before the sacrifice.

This mandate from Allah was a litmus test for Prophet Ibrahim's readiness and devotion to fulfil his Lord's command completely. As a result, Eid al-Adha meaning can be translated to the festival of sacrifice.

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What is Eid al-Adha and how is it celebrated?

The tenth day of the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar, Dhu-al-Hijjah, is Eid-ul-Adha. A genuine sighting of the moon determines the date of the celebration after the yearly Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj.

Eid-ul-Adha celebrations can continue anywhere from two to four days, depending on the country. Following the Eid Salaah (Eid Prayers), which are recited in congregation at the nearby Mosque on the morning of Eid, the act of Qurbani (sacrifice) is performed.

What are the Eid al-Adha traditions?

On Eid al-Adha, Muslims sacrifice animals – usually sheep – to commemorate Ibrahim's story. The family performing the sacrifice eats a third of the meat, while the rest is given to the needy.

When is Eid Al Adha?

The date of Eid-ul-Adha is projected to be June 16 2024, in the Arabic world, and June 17 2024, in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and other areas of the world.

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When is Eid al-Adha 2024 date in Ghana?

Eid al-Adha
Muslim children gather to perform the Eid Al Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) prayer in Atebubu, Ghana on August 11, 2019. Photo: Musa Alcan
Source: Getty Images

The date for Eid-ul-Adha in Ghana is June 16, 2024. The ceremony begins on the evening of Sunday, 16 June, and ends on the evening of Thursday, 20 June. However, these dates vary from one region to another since they are based on the crescent moon's official sighting.

The moon is used to determine when the month will begin or end. As a result, it causes a difference in the dates and a backward drift of 11 days from the western calendar based on the sun. It is impossible to accurately predict the exact Eid ul-Adha Ghana date because the moon's visibility depends on the weather conditions.

Why is Eid Adha important?

The festival reminds Muslims of obedience. Obedience is manifested in Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his only son. During the festival, Muslims ask for forgiveness for all the times they have failed to be entirely devoted to Allah and pray for the strength to gain complete devotion.

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Eid Al Adha also allows Muslims to visit their friends, family members, and the less fortunate in society.

Some of the essential greetings and phrases during this period are:

  • Eid Mubarak - Have a blessed Eid.
  • Eid Saeed - Happy Eid.
  • Kul' am wa enta bi-Khair - May each year find you in good health.
  • As-Salaam u Alaikum - May peace be unto you.
  • Taqabbala Allahu Minna wa minkum - May Allah accept from you and us.

Eid ul-Adha wishes

Considering the day's significance, some of these wishes may come in handy. They include:

  • Have a blessed Eid to you and your family, and may Allah open the doors of joy and prosperity during this festival.
  • You are one of the reasons I live such a colourful life. I wish that we could make every Eid ul-Adha bright for one another.
  • On this sacred and holy ceremony, I want to wish you a day that is full of laughter and happy moments. Happy Eid to you and your family.
  • Eid is a day of cheer and laughter. It is a moment that Allah will fill you will all the heavenly blessing from above. I wish you all the best.
  • May this festival bring you joy, love, kindness, and good tidings, and may Allah accept all your prayers and give you his great rewards.
  • I want to wish you a happy Eid ul-Adha and all your loved ones. May you receive all the opportunities for success in your life.
  • May the kindness and blessings of Allah be with you. Happy Eid ul-Adha from my family to yours.
  • Anyone who desires to meet with the Lord should do good deeds and not associate themselves with anyone during worship.
  • May the holy Eid ul-Adha give you all the time that you need to rejoice and make merry because of Allah's splendour in your life.
  • May the blessing of Allah surround you and follow you wherever you go. I wish you a happy Eid ul-Adha.
  • Let your doors remain open, for the wave of the blessings of Allah is coming your way. All the best to you and your family.
  • May the sparkling light of the crescent moon be your guide towards an enlightened future and a spiritual life! Happy hold day.
  • Why do we celebrate Eid ul-Adha?
  • Eid ul-Adha is a festival celebrated in remembrance of prophet Ibrahim on his trial, forbearance, patience, and unwavering faith in Allah when he was asked to offer his only son Ishmael as a sacrifice.

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What happens on Eid ul-Adha?

During the festival, the Muslim men, women, and children dress in their best religious attires to perform various celebratory rituals. The Eid al-Adha observances are as follows:

Ceremonial prayers

Eid al-Adha
Muslim people offer morning Eid al-Adha prayers at the historic Jama Masjid mosque. Photo: Naveen Sharma
Source: Getty Images

Muslims spend a few hours in prayers and listening to sermons at the Mosque. They also buy and wear new clothes, offer gifts to younger children, and visit their friends and other family members.

Mecca and Hajj formalities

If the Islam devotees are physically and financially fit, they are expected to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime. Then, they travel to Mecca and other surrounding regions in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

Religious offerings

During the celebrations, Muslims are expected to donate clothes and money to the less fortunate. They should also make sure that the poor enjoy a meat-based meal as it is believed to bring about good fortunes.

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Some households can also decide to come together and buy a goat or sheep and offer it as a sacrifice to Allah. This process is referred to as Gurbani, and the sacrificial animal is known as Udhiya.

How do you know when there is Eid ul-Adha?

To know when there is an Eid ul-Adha festival, Muslims follow the Islamic calendar based on the lunar calendar with 365 days. Therefore, the festival falls on different dates every year.

Is Eid a Muslim holiday?

Yes. The Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr, popularly known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," is one of two major Muslim holidays observed worldwide. It marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month.

The Islamic calendar's second major festival, Eid al-Adha, occurs after the conclusion of the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage.

Eid al-Adha is the holiest ceremony for Muslims, and every believer around the world awaits it with bated breath. There are numerous things to participate in, ranging from attending prayers and sermons to providing food and clothing to the homeless, among many more—happy Eid 2024 to all Muslims in Ghana and worldwide.

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Yen.com.gh recently published an excellent article about Ghana's Golden Stool. The golden stool reflects the Asantehene's (king's) authority, exalts the nation's soul, and symbolizes the kingdom's oneness.

Did you know that the stool was thought to have supernatural abilities by the locals? Discover everything there is to know about this artefact, including its history, significance, facts, and location.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com