Eid al-Adha, or ‘the feast of the sacrifice’, is the second Eid festival of the calendar year, which honours Ibrahim’s commitment to God when ordered to offer up his only son - not named in the Qu’ran as Ismail but widely accepted in Islamic literature as so - as a sacrifice.
As he prepared to carry out the act, Satan appeared to Ibrahim attempting to deter him from his task, but the devout man threw stones to repel the devil.
At the last second, God sent the angel Jibra'il to replace the boy with a ram. In other versions of the story, the knife is flipped out of Ibrahim’s hand or copper appears over the boy’s throat, preventing the sacrifice.
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Ibrahim, astonished to see his son unharmed, was praised for his devotion and willingness to surrender himself to Allah.
Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest celebrations in Islam and marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia which must be undetaken once in a lifetime all physically and financially capable Muslims.
Eid al-Fitr, which this year fell in June, is held to celebrate the end of the month-long fasting period of Ramadan.
When does Eid al-Adha begin?
Like other Islamic celebrations, Eid al-Adha by the lunar calendar, and always begins on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah - known as Arafat Day, or the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage period. In the Gregorian system, the date can vary over a period of 11 days.
In 2017 the celebration begins on Friday 1 September, although in Muslim majority countries the public holiday often starts the day before. In Pakistan, the festival will start on Saturday 2 September. The date is set when the closest new moon is seen.
Iran: Thousands mourn victims of Hajj stampede
How long does it last?
Eid al-Adha is marked by a four or five day public holiday in most Muslim countries - although in Turkey and Qatar celebrations last for 10 days and in Saudi Arabia a whole fortnight.
A three day holiday is being held in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.
How is it celebrated?
Muslims put on smart clothes for morning prayers both before and after sunrise, which are followed by family meals and the exchanging of gifts.
In remembrance of the Ibrahim story, a goat or sheep is often slaughtered. One third of the meat is consumed by the family, another for friends and relatives and the last part for those in need.
The period is seen as an important time for charity work.
In pictures: Eid Al-Adha celebrations around the world
Show all 18
In pictures: Eid Al-Adha celebrations around the world
1/18 eid-1.jpg
Indonesian muslims perform Eid Al-Adha prayer at Parangkusumo beach in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Eid Al-Adha, known as the 'Feast of the Sacrifice', is one of the most significant festivals on the Muslim calendar
Getty Images
2/18 eid-19.jpg
Afghans pray during the congregational prayers of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Herat, Afghanistan
EPA
3/18 eid-5.jpg
A Muslim pilgrim has his head shaved after casting pebbles at a pillar that symbolizes Satan during the annual haj pilgrimage, on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca
Reuters
4/18 eid-17.jpg
The Eid-al Adha prayer at Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Turkey
Getty Images
5/18 eid-10.jpg
An Egyptian man prays on a street next to the Sayyida Zeinab mosque on the first day of Eid al-Ahda in Cairo, Egypt
AP
6/18 eid-16.jpg
An Indonesian muslim man performs Eid Al-Adha prayer at Parangkusumo beach
Getty Images
7/18 eid-9.jpg
Men attend Eid al-Adha prayers in the old mosque of the village of Ponirak near Vranduk, 100 km (62 miles) north from capital Sarajevo
Reuters
8/18 eid-8.jpg
Egyptian woman prays while holding her daughter on a street next to the Sayyida Zeinab mosque on the first day of Eid al-Ahda in Cairo, Egypt
AP
9/18 eid-15.jpg
Javanese people jostle for the 'Gunungan', a sacrifice in the shape of a mountain, during the Grebeg ritual as part of celebrations for Eid al-Adha in Indonesia
Getty Images
10/18 eid-14.jpg
Bosnian Muslims gather in Sarajevo in front of the city's main mosque for a prayer to mark the Muslim religious holidays of Eid aL-Adha, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
EPA
11/18 eid-11.jpg
Iraqis Muslim youths celebrate Eid al-Adha by chanting religious hymns to mark the major "Feast of Sacrifice" holiday at a Baghdad cemetery
Getty Images
12/18 eid-13.jpg
Afghan honor guards offer the congregational prayers of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Kabul, Afghanistan
EPA
13/18 eid-20.jpg
A man prays as others leave outside Moscow's main mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Adha, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide, which Muslims in Russia call Kurban-Bairam in Moscow, Russia
AP
14/18 eid-2.jpg
Men attend Eid Al-Adha prayer in the old mosque of the village of Racak, southwest of capital Prishtina in Kosovo
15/18 eid-6.jpg
A Kosovo Muslim man visits the grave of a loved one on the first day of Eid al-Adha in the town of Prizren, Kosovo
AP
16/18 eid-7.jpg
Muslims carry a sheep after prayers on the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bairam) in St. Petersburg
Getty Images
17/18 eid-3.jpg
Muslims, as the minorities in Kenya, perform the Eid al-Adha prayer in Nairobi the capital
Getty Images
18/18 eid-18.jpg
Russian Muslims stand awaiting a holiday Eid al-Adha Mubarak prayer in the center of Moscow, Russia
EPA
1/18 eid-1.jpg
Indonesian muslims perform Eid Al-Adha prayer at Parangkusumo beach in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Eid Al-Adha, known as the 'Feast of the Sacrifice', is one of the most significant festivals on the Muslim calendar
Getty Images
2/18 eid-19.jpg
Afghans pray during the congregational prayers of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Herat, Afghanistan
EPA
3/18 eid-5.jpg
A Muslim pilgrim has his head shaved after casting pebbles at a pillar that symbolizes Satan during the annual haj pilgrimage, on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca
Reuters
4/18 eid-17.jpg
The Eid-al Adha prayer at Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Turkey
Getty Images
5/18 eid-10.jpg
An Egyptian man prays on a street next to the Sayyida Zeinab mosque on the first day of Eid al-Ahda in Cairo, Egypt
AP
6/18 eid-16.jpg
An Indonesian muslim man performs Eid Al-Adha prayer at Parangkusumo beach
Getty Images
7/18 eid-9.jpg
Men attend Eid al-Adha prayers in the old mosque of the village of Ponirak near Vranduk, 100 km (62 miles) north from capital Sarajevo
Reuters
8/18 eid-8.jpg
Egyptian woman prays while holding her daughter on a street next to the Sayyida Zeinab mosque on the first day of Eid al-Ahda in Cairo, Egypt
AP
9/18 eid-15.jpg
Javanese people jostle for the 'Gunungan', a sacrifice in the shape of a mountain, during the Grebeg ritual as part of celebrations for Eid al-Adha in Indonesia
Getty Images
10/18 eid-14.jpg
Bosnian Muslims gather in Sarajevo in front of the city's main mosque for a prayer to mark the Muslim religious holidays of Eid aL-Adha, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
EPA
11/18 eid-11.jpg
Iraqis Muslim youths celebrate Eid al-Adha by chanting religious hymns to mark the major "Feast of Sacrifice" holiday at a Baghdad cemetery
Getty Images
12/18 eid-13.jpg
Afghan honor guards offer the congregational prayers of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Kabul, Afghanistan
EPA
13/18 eid-20.jpg
A man prays as others leave outside Moscow's main mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Adha, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide, which Muslims in Russia call Kurban-Bairam in Moscow, Russia
AP
14/18 eid-2.jpg
Men attend Eid Al-Adha prayer in the old mosque of the village of Racak, southwest of capital Prishtina in Kosovo
15/18 eid-6.jpg
A Kosovo Muslim man visits the grave of a loved one on the first day of Eid al-Adha in the town of Prizren, Kosovo
AP
16/18 eid-7.jpg
Muslims carry a sheep after prayers on the first day of the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bairam) in St. Petersburg
Getty Images
17/18 eid-3.jpg
Muslims, as the minorities in Kenya, perform the Eid al-Adha prayer in Nairobi the capital
Getty Images
18/18 eid-18.jpg
Russian Muslims stand awaiting a holiday Eid al-Adha Mubarak prayer in the center of Moscow, Russia
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