Eid al-Adha, the second of two major holidays in the Islamic calendar, begins today. Eid al-Adha is also referred to as the Festival of Sacrifice and commemorates Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son, Ishmael, after he dreamt that God asked him to in a dream. God intervened and sent a ram to be sacrificed in the place of Abraham’s son, Ismael, according to the Quran.

Author: Maryam of Lisbon; Eid al-Adha at the Lisbon Central Mosque.

Eid al-Adha occurs in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar and coincides with the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, where Muslims around the world travel to Mecca.

Many Muslims attend the Lisbon Central Mosque to enjoy the celebrations and special prayers.