“I thought we just celebrated Raya?” This might be a common question we hear nearing the Hari Raya Haji holidays. This is no surprise – Hari Raya Haji comes 70 days after Hari Raya Puasa!
If you’re looking to wow your Muslim friends, or if you’re Muslim yourself and want to know some fun facts about Raya Haji, continue reading!
| Fun Facts About Raya Haji |
1. It’s actually 4 days long
The official public holiday in Malaysia usually falls on the 10th of Zulhijjah, but the celebration actually extends up to the 13th of Zulhijjah.
During this time, Muslims celebrate by performing the Eid al-Adha (another word for Raya Haji) prayer at mosques and spending time with their close family members.
Unlike Hari Raya Puasa, house visits are limited to one day, and giving money packets (or duit raya) may not be customary.
2. Also known as ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’
What’s the history behind it?
It’s to honour the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. However, his son was not actually sacrificed – just as Ibrahim was about to perform the painful act out of his faith to God, He intervened and replaced his son with a sheep!
Now, Raya Haji has become a recognition of this sacrifice. To commemorate this day, Muslims will sacrifice (Qurban/korban) a sheep on Raya Haji as a display of faith to God.
3. What do we do with the meat?
Muslims would usually ‘buy’ the sheep for the ritual, but they are encouraged to give most of the meat to the needy!
Muslims are recommended to distribute one-third of the meat to the poor, one-third for friends and neighbours, and one-third for themselves.
Plus, Muslims don’t have to limit their giving within their country. Some Muslims would choose to entirely donate their sacrifice for those in less developed countries such as Syria and Palestine.
4. Marking the end of Hajj (pilgrimage)
Hari Raya Puasa, or Eid al-Fitr, is all about rejoicing after a month of fasting during Ramadan.
On the other hand, Hari Raya Haji comes after the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage, an important journey to the holy city of Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their life.
5. So, does everyone have to go to Mecca?
Only if they’re physically and financially able to do so!
There’s a specific month in the Islamic calendar when Muslims can perform Hajj, and that’s during Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the year.
Because of the limited time and space in Mecca, not everyone gets to go for Hajj, and the waitlist can stretch on for years or even decades.
And there you have it! Now you have some key info about Raya Haji up your sleeve. Flaunt your Raya Haji knowledge with your friends today!
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