Eid al-Adha 2026 in Australia

Eid al-Adha is a significant annual Islamic observance for Muslim communities across Australia. It is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Festival of Sacrifice as it commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son to God.

Is Eid al-Adha a Public Holiday?

Although Eid al-Adha is not a public holiday, businesses and schools may be closed because it falls on the same date as Hari Raya Haji in 2026, which is a public holiday in Christmas Island and Cocos and Keeling Islands.

What Do People Do?

The Eid al-Adha festival has a special atmosphere of peace, respect, giving and receiving, as well as sharing and caring. It is a special day for children because it is a day to socialize with family, friends and other children in celebrating Eid al-Adha. Many Muslims are united in prayer at mosques and other appropriate venues during Eid al-Adha. People also exchange gifts with one another and celebrate feasts together.

Eid al-Adha is also a time for many Muslims to make donations to the poor and the needy. This observance is known as the Feast of Sacrifice because it traditionally includes the sacrifice of an animal permitted for food (eg. a lamb) as an act of thanksgiving for God’s mercy. Some of the food is donated for charitable purposes.

Eid al-Adha also follows from the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This pilgrimage applies to Muslims worldwide, as they are required to perform the Hajj once in their lives. Some Muslims in Australia may travel to Mecca prior to Eid al-Adha to make this pilgrimage.

Public Life

Eid al-Adha is not a nationwide public holiday in Australia. However, some Islamic organizations may be closed or offer a reduced level of service and there may be some local traffic congestion around mosques and venues where Eid al-Adha celebrations are held.

Background

Eid al-Adha (Eid-ul-Adha) is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Festival of Sacrifice. This observance commemorates accomplishment.  Eid al-Adha also serves as a reminder of when Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to sacrifice his son to God, according to Islamic belief.

About Eid al-Adha in Other Countries

Note: Regional customs or Moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the Crescent Moon is first seen.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.