BOOK NOOK
Celebrating Eid!
To mark Eid al-Adha, we take a look at a small selection of the fun, beautifully illustrated and informative books on offer
Eid al-Adha, one of the two main festivals in Islam, is expected to be celebrated between June 6 and 8/9 this year by Muslims in the UK, depending on the sighting of the moon.
The festival follows the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and is also known as the ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, commemorating the sacrifice of the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) in aid of the poor and needy.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
Although both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are celebrated similarly, they are two distinct festivals that commemorate different things, which means there are one or two key differences:
- For Eid al-Adha, you should delay eating until after the Eid prayer, whereas for Eid al-Fitr, it’s recommended to eat before the Eid prayer.
- There is no Zakatul Fitr (also known as Fitrana, charity given at the end of Ramadan but before Eid al-Fitr) for Eid al-Adha, just the sacrifice of an animal.
- To celebrate Eid al-Adha, families may choose to host an Eid gathering with the local community.
Celebrating Eid al-Adha
Prayer is an important element of Eid, with the Eid al-Adha prayer being a special, congregational one performed shortly after sunrise on the first day, taking place around other prayers and sermons.
Traditionally, Muslims would make their own sacrifice (Qurbani) of an animal following the Eid prayer and sermon (Khutbah). They would then eat and share the meat with others, as the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once did.
Children may receive gifts such as money, sweets, clothes or toys from relatives to celebrate Eid al-Adha, sometimes called ‘Eidi’ or ‘Eidiyya’.
Books
Here are some wonderfully illustrated books telling different Eid stories for little ones to share with grown-ups and each other:
0-3
Happy Eid by Ladybird
Eid by Roger Priddy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Eid by Eric Carle
Can You Find My Eid Presents? by A.M. Dassu and Junissa Bianda
*Busy Eid by Campbell Books and Debby Rahmalia
3+
*Mr Men Little Miss: Happy Eid by Adam Hargreaves
The Colours of My Eid by by Suzanne Huir
*Maymoona’s Moon: A Special Eid Story by Razeena Omar-Gutta and Zayneb Haleem
Ibraheem’s Perfect Eid by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani
Eid for Nylah by Nizrana Farook and Zelma Firdauzia
*Noura’s Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan and Nabila Adani
The Night Before Eid by Aya Khalil and Rashin Kheiriyeh
Please note that many of these books do not specify which Eid is being celebrated, while a small number are more focused on *Eid al-Fitr, which often occurs in March and is celebrated for one day upon the waxing of the new moon after Ramadan. However, these have been included as many of the traditions are similar, and the books can be a starting point to compare the two Eid festivals for more in-depth learning.