We recently explained in another post what Arafat Day is. And on this occasion, we dedicate the post to explain what Lamb Day in Egypt is and how it’s celebrated, also known as Eid al-Adha. As we’ll see, these two dates are closely related, as they actually follow each other in the calendar.
When is Lamb Day in Egypt
As in the rest of the Muslim world, Lamb Day in Egypt takes place 70 days after the end of Ramadan, that is, on the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Or in other words: one day after Arafat Day, during a time filled with religious solemnity for all Muslims, as it also coincides with the pilgrimage that every believer should make once in their lifetime to Mecca.
In the Western (Gregorian) calendar, in 2025 Lamb Day will coincide with June 6th. And as we mentioned in this other post about holidays in Egypt, it is a non-working day in the country.
Brief Explanation of the Lamb Sacrifice
Once a year, all Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha or the Sacrifice of the Lamb, and it’s a way to commemorate an episode narrated in the Quran. Allah had ordered Ibrahim (Abraham in the Bible, as he is also a prophet for Jews and Christians) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Isaac for Jews and Christians) as a demonstration of his self-denial and obedience to God, to which Ibrahim agreed.
But when he was about to carry out the order, Allah intervened through the Archangel Gabriel to stop the infanticide, making him sacrifice a lamb instead. Today, this tradition is maintained as a sign of every Muslim’s obedience to Allah’s will.
How Lamb Day is Celebrated in Egypt
Those who follow the tradition to the letter buy a live lamb and sacrifice it on this day, emulating the episode of Ibrahim and Ismail. The father or head of the family is in charge of this, and also responsible for dividing the meat into three parts: one for the family, one for friends, and one for those in need. Those most attached to the tradition buy the animal (which can also be a calf) weeks in advance to take care of its feeding during the last months and thus be sure of its good health.
However, not everyone is obliged to fulfill this ritual, due to lack of material and economic means to do so, as it also requires butchery knowledge to perform the sacrifice. That’s why many families go to the trusted butcher and ask them to sacrifice a lamb for them. Another more economical option, on the rise in times of economic difficulties such as inflation or scarcity due to drought, is to request the sacrifice communally, through associations or similar.
Beyond the sacrifice and its modality, Lamb Day in Egypt is a day of prayer and gathering. Prayer because people go to the mosque in their best attire to pray and listen to the explanation of the meaning of the sacrifice. And gathering because, after prayer, many families usually go together to perform or witness the sacrifice, and especially enjoy a day at home around the table, with lamb-based dishes, both for lunch and dinner, amid blessings and wishes for peace.
The celebration and gatherings, in reality, usually last several days, thus prolonging the atmosphere of meeting and brotherhood, which many equate with Christian Christmas, although with a greater spiritual connotation.
