Pinoy Holidays : Palace Declares November 16, 2010 as a National Holiday in Celebration of Eid'l Adha

Proclamation No. 60

MALACAÑANG MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES DECLARING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2010 AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN CELEBRATION OF EID’L-ADHA (FEAST OF SACRIFICE) WHEREAS, RA 9849 provides that Eid’l Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday; WHEREAS, Eid’l Adha is one of the two greatest feast of Islam; WHEREAS, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) has confirmed that the feast of Eid’l Adha falls on November 16, 2010; NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Tuesday, November 16, 2010 as a national holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice). IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed. Done in the city of Manila, this 9th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten. (Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III By the President: (Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR. Executive Secretary

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines

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What is Eid al-Adha?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) or "Eid-u'z-Zuha" "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, but instead was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). In traditional or agrarian settings, each family would sacrifice a domestic animal, such as a cow, sheep, goat, or camel, by slaughter. The meat would then be divided into three equal parts to be distributed to others. The family retains one third of the share, another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors, and the other third is given to the poor & needy.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara) ayah 196 in the Qur'an. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Wajib prayer of two Raka'ah followed by a sermon (khuṭbah).

The word "Eid" appears in Sura al-Mai'da ("The Table Spread," Chapter 5) of the Qur'an, meaning 'solemn festival'.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha celebrations start after pilgrims on the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr. Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.

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