When is the next Eid al-Adha?
Eid al-Adha - the 'Festival of Sacrifice' - is the second of the two major Eids in the Islamic calendar. It falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after the Day of Arafah. This calculator shows you the exact Gregorian date, the day of the week, the days remaining, and the surrounding Hajj season events from the Day of Tarwiyah (8 Dhu al-Hijjah) through the end of the Days of Tashriq (13 Dhu al-Hijjah).
The days of Hajj - Tarwiyah, Arafah, Eid, Tashriq
Hajj is a five-day pilgrimage with distinct rites on each day. 8 Dhu al-Hijjah (Yawm at-Tarwiyah) - pilgrims travel from Mecca to Mina and stay overnight. 9 Dhu al-Hijjah (Yawm Arafah) - the climactic 'standing' at Mount Arafat from noon until sunset, considered the pillar of Hajj. 10 Dhu al-Hijjah (Eid al-Adha / Yawm an-Nahr) - the festival begins with the stoning of the largest pillar at Jamarat, followed by sacrifice (qurbani). 11–13 Dhu al-Hijjah (Ayyam at-Tashriq) - continued stoning and sacrifice, with pilgrims returning to Mecca for the farewell tawaf.
The Day of Arafah - the most important day
Yawm Arafah is considered the most sacred day of the Islamic year. For pilgrims, it's the climactic ritual: gathering on Mount Arafat (Jabal ar-Rahmah) and the surrounding plain from noon until sunset, in prayer and supplication. For Muslims not performing Hajj, fasting this day is highly recommended - the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said it expiates the sins of the previous and following year. Many find this day spiritually transformative even from afar.
Eid al-Adha traditions
The festival begins with Eid prayer in the morning, typically at an open prayer ground (musalla) or mosque. The qurbani (sacrifice) of a sheep, cow, or camel is offered, with the meat traditionally divided into thirds: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for those in need. Families gather, children receive gifts (eidiyyah), and visits to relatives and neighbors mark the four days of celebration. The qurbani window extends through the Days of Tashriq (until sunset on 13 Dhu al-Hijjah).
Hajj in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia hosts the Hajj, with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah managing the largest annual religious gathering in the world - typically 2–3 million pilgrims. The Saudi Supreme Court (Al-Mahkamah al-'Ulya) issues the official announcement of the start of Dhu al-Hijjah based on moonsighting evidence. Pilgrims arrive through specific Hajj visas, and the Saudi government invests heavily in infrastructure (the Mashair Train, hospitals, cooling systems at Jamarat) to accommodate the crowds. For Saudi residents, Eid al-Adha is a four-day public holiday.
Why Hajj season moves through the Gregorian calendar
The Hijri lunar year is ~11 days shorter than the Gregorian solar year. So Hajj - anchored to Dhu al-Hijjah - moves ~11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar each year. Over a 33-year cycle, the Hajj rotates through every Gregorian season, from a summer Hajj (with the famous extreme heat at Mecca) through to a winter one and back. The calculator's 6-year forecast table below shows this drift clearly.
Frequently asked questions
The Gregorian date is shown in the hero card above - it's computed live from today using the standard Islamic tabular calendar. The actual official date in Saudi Arabia is confirmed by the Supreme Court based on moonsighting of the Dhu al-Hijjah crescent on the night of 29 Dhu al-Qadah, and may shift by ±1 day.
Yawm Arafah (9 Dhu al-Hijjah) is the most important day of the Hajj - pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat from noon to sunset in prayer. For non-pilgrims, fasting this day is highly recommended; the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said it expiates the sins of the previous and following year. The calculator highlights this date specifically.
Five days of formal rites: 8 Dhu al-Hijjah (Yawm at-Tarwiyah, travel to Mina), 9 Dhu al-Hijjah (Yawm Arafah, standing at Arafat), 10 Dhu al-Hijjah (Eid al-Adha, stoning + sacrifice), and 11–13 Dhu al-Hijjah (Ayyam at-Tashriq, continued stoning). The qurbani (sacrifice) window extends through the 13th.
Most Muslim-majority countries rely on official moonsighting committees, not tabular prediction. Saudi Arabia uses the Supreme Court's announcement; other countries may follow regional sightings (Pakistan, Indonesia) or align with Saudi Arabia (UAE, Qatar). Tabular calendars are accurate to ±1 day. Always defer to your country's official announcement.
Eid al-Fitr ('Festival of Breaking the Fast') falls on 1 Shawwal, the day after Ramadan ends. Eid al-Adha ('Festival of Sacrifice') falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, during the Hajj season, two months and ten days later. Eid al-Adha is generally considered the 'greater' of the two Eids, with a four-day celebration window vs. one to three days for Eid al-Fitr depending on the country.
Sources
- Umm al-Qura calendar - official Saudi Hijri calendar— King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
- Hajj - religious rites and significance— Encyclopedia Britannica
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah - Saudi Arabia— Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
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