Kurban Bayramı Holiday in Turkiye
Banks and post offices will be closed during Kurban Bayrami, but most shops and supermarkets will remain open. ATMs may run out of cash towards the end of the holidays. In Istanbul, most tourist attractions remain open, but the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar will be closed.
Travelling on the first and last days of Kurban Bayram can be very hectic and roads are busy as everyone either heads to their family home or escapes to a hotel/beach.
When is Eid al-Adha?
Known as Eid al-Adha, Eid ul Adha, Id-ul-Azha, Id-ul-Zuha, Hari Raya Haji or Bakr-id; the 'Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar.
The festival may also be known as Al Eid Al Kabeer, which means the 'Grand Eid'. It has this more important status as in religious terms as this Eid lasts for four days whereas Eid Al Fitr is one day, even though most countries observe about the same number of public holidays for both Eids.
This festival is celebrated throughout the Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for God.
Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar.
As the exact day is based on lunar sightings, the date may vary between countries.
Traditions of Eid Al Adha
Eid al-Adha concludes the Pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son.
The same story appears in the Bible and is familiar to Jews and Christians. One key difference is that Muslims believe the son was Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Eid Al Lahma, which means the 'meat Eid'
According to the Quran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to make something else as a 'great sacrifice'. In the Old Testament, it is a ram that is sacrificed instead of the son.
In Islam, Ishmael is regarded as a prophet and an ancestor of Muhammad.
During the feast of Eid Al Adha, Muslims re-enact Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family will eat about a third of the meal a third goes to friends and relatives, and the remaining third is donated to the poor and needy.
The giving of charity in the form of money, food or clothes to the homeless or poor is another key tradition of Eid al Adha.
Kurban Bayramı Traditions in Turkey
On the first day of the Sacrifice Feast in Turkey, men from each family traditionally go to the mosque for a special morning prayer. In some parts of the nation, the sacrificed goat is henna-painted and adorned with ribbons. In recent years, some Turkish people have started making donations to charity organizations instead of sacrificing animals.
People usually wear their best clothes during the Sacrifice Feast. They welcome guests to their homes or visit relatives and friends during the holiday. Young people greet their older relatives and neighbours by kissing their hands as a sign of respect. Some people in Turkey even use the holiday period to go on a vacation.
