Eid al-Adha (عيد الأضحى) is one of the two specific religious festivals practiced in Islam; Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر) is the other one. As per a tradition, when the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ migrated to Medina, he saw the locals celebrating two separate days of festivity. The Prophet said, You had two days when you would play, but Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has given Muslims something better than that in the form of the day of Al-Fitr and the day of Al-Adha, as mentioned in Hadith 1556 of Sunan An-Nasai.

So, Muslims have been celebrating the two Eids since then. While Eid al-Fitr is a celebration of the completion of a month-long fasting (fasting in Ramadan), Eid al-Adha is celebrated in remembrance of a unique act of sacrifice by the Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail عَلَيْهِمَا ٱلسَّلَامُ. Being one of the most festive and religious events, Muslims in the entire Islamic World anxiously wait for this day every year. Hence, every Muslim needs to know when Eid al-Adha is in 2026.

Historical Background of Eid Al-Adha

Before ascertaining the expected date of Eid Al-Adha, it would be appropriate to learn about its historical background and why it is celebrated in Islam. In response to a Divine Command, revealed repeatedly in a dream, the Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ decided to present his son Ismail for sacrifice in the way of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. When he shared this dream with his son Ismail, he happily and devotedly expressed his willingness to be sacrificed. Both the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ prepared themselves for this sacred sacrifice. When the Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ was about to slaughter his son, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى acknowledged and accepted their sacrifice by sending down the Angel with a lamb from heaven to be slaughtered instead of Ismail عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ. This event is narrated in Surah As-Saffat, in verses 100-109.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated to commemorate this event. On this day, Muslims slaughter sacrificial animals to celebrate the day in an Islamic way of festivity. Accordingly, Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hajj, the 12th month of the Islamic Calendar. It is also linked with the Hajj. The Eid al-Adha celebrations, marked by the slaughtering of sacrificial animals, last for three days, from the 10th to 12th day of Dhul Hajj.

The Islamic Calendar – An Overview

Like all other religious festivals and events in Islam, Eid al-Adha is celebrated according to the Islamic Calendar, which is commonly known as the Hijri or Lunar Calendar. As the name Lunar Calendar suggests, the Islamic months and dates are associated with the moon’s birth, appearance, and movement. The Islamic Calendar is unique in many ways, as compared to the Gregorian Calendar:

  • The Islamic Calendar also consists of 12 months, but the number of days in each month is not predetermined, unlike the Gregorian Calendar.
  • The Islamic months consist of 29 or 30 days. There is no Islamic month that has 31 days.
  • The total number of days in an Islamic year is 9 to 10 days less than the Gregorian Calendar. As a result, any Islamic event would fall on different dates, rotating throughout the year. Generally, a specific Islamic event, such as Ramadan, would fall 9 to 10 days earlier each year. For example, if it started on the 1st of March in 2025, it would most likely commence on the 18th February in 2026.
  • Since the commencement of an Islamic month is based on the birth of the new moon, its exact corresponding date in the Gregorian Calendar cannot be predetermined.
  • As the Islamic date depends on the appearance of the moon, it may not be exactly the same in every country or region. There might be a difference of 1 to 2 days between different regions or countries. It means that if on a given day it is the 15th of Dhul-Hajj in Saudi Arabia, it may be the 14th or 16th in some other part of the world.

Accordingly, each Islamic Country has its own system of ascertaining the commencement of an Islamic month. Most Islamic Countries have established a special “Moon Sighting Committee” to determine the start of a new Islamic month. While some Arab and European Countries follow the official Islamic Calendar, as practiced in Saudi Arabia, others have their own system in place. Muslim communities in many Countries, where Islam is a minority religion, often celebrate Islamic events in line with their nearest Islamic Country.

· Umm al-Qura Calendar in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has devised a permanent Islamic Calendar, known as the Umm al-Qura Calendar. It is primarily based on astronomical calculations of the new moon’s birth. Though the calculations are mostly correct, the exact date of commencement of a new Islamic month is still officially announced by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia, after taking into consideration the physical sighting of the new moon by a specifically formulated moon sighting committee.

When is Eid al-Adha in 2026?

As discussed above, Islamic events do not necessarily fall on the same day across the World. Similarly, the exact date of Eid Al-Adha 2026 cannot be predicted in advance. To determine the exact date of Eid Al-Adha, we can use Saudi Arabia as a reference point.

Accordingly, the date of Eid Al-Adha in Saudi Arabia can be predicted as follows:

  • The 29th day of the month of Dhul-Qa’dah is expected to fall on May 16, 2026, whereas according to the Umm Al-Qura Calendar, the month of Dhul-Qa’dah is expected to be of 30 days and would end on May 17, 2026.
  • If the month of Dhul-Qa’dah turns out to be 30 days, the month of Dhul-Hajj would start on May 18, 2026. But if it is going to be 29 days, the 1st of Dhul-Hajj would fall on May 17, 2026.
  • In that scenario, Eid al-Adha is most likely to fall on either May 26, 2026, or May 27, 2026, in Saudi Arabia.

In other parts of the World, the date of Eid al-Adha may fall on different dates, with a gap of 1 to 2 days. Hence, in other parts of Asia, Eid al-Adha may fall a day or two later than in Saudi Arabia, either on May 27, 28, or even on May 28 in 2026, depending on the country or Region.

IMPORTANT

  • The dates suggested above are based on assumptions, and exact dates cannot be ascertained at this time.
  • You may need to keep up to date with official announcements from your respective Government authorities for the exact date of Eid al-Adha in your area.
  • All Islamic religious events, especially festive events, must be celebrated within the framework of Islamic teachings. Always observe and celebrate Eid al-Adha and other Islamic festivals with religious passion while maintaining the Islamic decorum.

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