Id-ul-Zuha

Id-ul-Zuha also called Id-ul-Adha in Arabic and Bakr-Id in the Indian subcontinent, because of the tradition of sacrificing a goat or 'bakr' in Urdu. The word 'id' derived from the Arabic 'iwd' means 'festival' and zuha comes from 'uzhaiyya' which translates to 'sacrifice'.

On this day Muslims sacrifice a goat or Bakr (Urdu) to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill his son at the behest of God.

This festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca. Prayers are offered in the mosques and the sacrificial meat is then distributed after theId prayers.

Special delicacies are prepared and served among family and friends on the occasion.

Significance:

Also called Bakrid, Id-ul-Zuha, is a festival of great rejoice. Special prayers and exchange of greetings and gifts marked the Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid), the festival of sacrifice, celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in India.

Id-ul-Zuha is a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son for God's sake. It also marks the completion of Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca). On this day, special `Dua' is recited by thousands of Muslims for peace and prosperity.The day also coincides with the day when the holy Quran was declared complete.

Legends:

The festival of Bakrid is a commemoration of Hazrat Ibrahim's great test of obedience to Allah, who ordered him to sacrifice the person dearest to him.

Ibrahim decided to sacrifice his son Ismail, at Mina, near Mecca. As the great religious leader was on the point of applying the sword to the throat of his dear son, it was revealed to him that the exercise was merely a test of his faith in Allah, and that he could sacrifice a ram instead.

When is Id-ul-Zuha celebrated?

Id-ul-Zuha is celebrated from the tenth to the twelfth day of Zil hijja. Also, Id-ul-Zuha or
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th da y of the month of Dhul Hijja (?? ?????) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after thepilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Calendaric dates:

As the date of Id-ul-zuha is calculated according to the Islamic Calendar, or the Lunar calendar, the dates for the upcoming years are based on approximate calculations. Following are the tentative dates for the year 2011 and upcoming years.

1432 (Islamic Calendar): November 6, 2011 (calculated)
1433 (Islamic Calendar): October 26, 2012 (calculated)
1434 (Islamic Calendar): October 15, 2013 (calculated)
1435 (Islamic Calendar): October 4, 2014 (calculated)

Rituals:

The Festival of Id-ul-Zuha or Bakrid is celebrated with great enthusiasm among Muslims all over the world. The day normally starts with men and women dressing in the best outfits and proceeding towards Mosque.

On Id-ul-Zuha, special `Dua` (prayer) is recited by thousands of Muslims for peace andprosperity. The wealthy are expected to sacrifice one animal per family and distribute two-thirds of the meat among poor. Those who cannot afford it, one animal per family can be offered. Very poor, seven or seventy families together offer one animal. A full-grown camel, cow, goat or sheep, free from disease, is considered the best offering. The sacrifice can be offered at any time before the afternoon of the third day. In India, too, goats and sheep are sacrificed all over the country and prayers are offered.

Followed with the food sacrifice and charity to poor Muslims greet each other with “Eid Mubarak” and visit the houses of relatives and friends. Special delicacies are prepared and served among family and friends on the occasion. Gifts are also exch

Recipes

The festival of Id-ul-Zuha is an occasion of feasting and rejoicing for the Muslim community. There is a tradition of sacrificing an animal by each family on this occasion and sharing it with others.

People visit relatives and friends. They also prepare some exquisite delicacies for their guests and family. Following are some mouth watering recipes for the occasion of Bakrid.

1. BOTI KEBAB RECIPE
   
   Ingredients:
   
   
   • 200 gms Meat (Lamb)
   • 1/2 Cup curd

• 2 Ginger
• 5 Garlic flakes
• 1 Large onion
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 5 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seed powder
• 6 Cloves
• Salt to taste


Method of Preparation:


• Wash the meat and cut into cubes
• Grind garlic, ginger, onion, coriander, cumin, red chilli, turmeric powder and curd to make a mixture
• Marinate the meat cubes in this mixture for 1 hour
• Stick the meat onto skewers.
• Grill it for 20 minutes.
• Garnish it with onions.

2. CHICKEN MUGHLAI RECIPE
   
   Ingredients:
   
   
   • Skinless Large Chicken (cut into chunks)
   • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
   • 350 gm Ghee
   • 2 Medium Sized Onions (grated)
   • 4 Lightly beaten Eggs
   • 4 tsp Sugar
   • 6 tsp Ground almonds
   • 1-1/2 inch Ginger (grated)
   • 9 Garlic cloves
   • 6 Green cardamoms
   • Flaked almonds for garnishing
   • 2 tsp Salt
   • 5-6 tbsp Thickened Cream (whisked)
   
   
   Method Of Preparation:
   
   
   • Heat the ghee or butter in a large cooking pan over moderate heat.
   • Fry the onions with the salt until it turns light brown.
   • Pour the ginger, garlic, cardamoms, and cinnamon sticks into the pan.
   • Fry until the onions are golden brown.
   • Add the chunks of chicken and cook it. Stir it for about 15 minutes.
   • In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the eggs, sugar, ground almonds and cream.
   • Lower the heat. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the cooking pan.
   • Simmer for 5-7 minutes till the chicken is cooked and tender. Do not overcook.
   • Garnish with flaked almonds and serve. Serve hot.
   
   
3. FISH KEBAB RECIPE
   
   Ingredients:
   
   
   • 900 gms Fish
   • 3/4 cup Lemon Juice
   • 2 tsp Fresh Ginger (finely grated)
   • 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
   • 1-1/2 tsp Salt
   • 4 tsp Coriander Powder
   • 1 tsp Garam Masala
   • 1 tsp Chili Powder
   • 1 cup Yoghurt
   • 2 tbsp Plain flour
   • 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
   
   
   Method of Preparation:
   
   
   • Rinse fish with cold water and pat dry.
   • Now cut into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
   • Mix all the ingredients to make a marinade.
   • Pour this into large freezer bag and add the fish cubes.
   • Make sure fish is well covered by marinade.
   • Place freezer bag in the refrigerator for two hours.
   • Take away fish from marinade.
   • Discard the marinade and assemble fish cubes.
   • Spray the grill lightly with cooking oil and place the fish kebabs on the grill.
   • Cook for about 4-6 minutes each side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
   • Fish Kebab is ready to be served with hot rice.

anged on this auspicious day.

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