Nigerian Muslims are preparing to celebrate Eid-al-Adha 1446AH on Friday, June 6, 2025, joining millions worldwide in this significant Islamic festival. To ensure everyone can participate fully, the Federal Government has declared Friday, June 6, and Monday, June 9, 2025, as public holidays. This thoughtful gesture allows families, friends, and loved ones across Nigeria to come together and embrace the festive spirit.

Eid-al-Adha, widely recognized as the "Festival of Sacrifice," directly follows the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage. Its timing is set for the day after the Day of Arafat (Thursday, June 5th), the spiritual peak of the annual pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

A central tradition of Eid-al-Adha for Muslims not performing Hajj is the slaughter of a sacrificial animal, the Ud'hiyah. Islamic law (Shari'ah) outlines a specific procedure for this act: the local Imam must lead by performing the initial sacrifice at the Eid prayer grounds. It is only after the Imam has slaughtered their chosen animal—be it a camel, cow, ram, or goat—that other Muslims are permitted to proceed with their own sacrifices.

This sequence isn't merely a formality; it's a fundamental injunction. Any sacrifice performed before the Imam's will not be accepted by Allah for the purpose of Eid. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this in an authentic narration: "Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the Imam, let him slaughter another in its place, and whoever did not slaughter a sacrifice, let him do so in the name of Allah." This highlights the critical importance of adhering to the prescribed order to ensure the religious validity of the sacrifice.