Feast of the Sacrifice
An annual reminder of our moral origins.
The annual Hajj of 2026 AD/1447 AH is in full swing as millions descend into Makkah, circumambulate the Ka’bah, and gather on Mount Arafah to pray and repent.
Many are fasting as today is also the Day of Arafah, when the Qur’anic verse declaring the completion of the religion of Islam was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ during his Final Sermon:
Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.
[Al-Ma’ida: Verse 3]
And Eid Al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice) commences tonight. As nearly two million pilgrims perform the pilgrimage in Makkah, Muslims around the world will join them in sacrificing animals (or donating) to commemorate Abraham’s unwavering devotion to God.
This is a week of historic significance, repeated every year for over fourteen hundred years, to recall what has been sacred for thousands of years. Why do Muslims commemorate this event every year? What is the significance of Eid Al-Adha and Abraham’s sacrifice, not just for Muslims, but for humanity’s moral trajectory?
Take a moment to reflect with us and read our essay from Spring 2025, In Abraham’s Shadow, to learn more about how humanity’s pagan origins and prevalence of human sacrifice were overturned by the knife of Abraham: