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On Monday this week, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki declared today (June 28, 2023) a public holiday to mark Eid-Ul-Adha.
"It is notified for the general information of the public that in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 (2) and part II of the Schedule, as read with section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares that Wednesday, the 28th June 2023, shall be a public holiday to mark Eid-Ul-Adha (Idd-Ul-Azha),"- Kindiki said in the Gazette Notice.
Eid-Ul-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) is celebrated to honour the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as an act of obedience to God's command.
Abraham faced a significant test in his life which involved receiving and obeying God's command to sacrifice his beloved son.
Throughout the narrative, Abraham repeatedly had dreams in which he saw himself offering his son Ishmael, the son of Hagar (Hajar), as a sacrifice.
With a firm understanding that this was a divine command, Abraham shared this revelation with his son, as mentioned in the Quran.
In complete submission to God's will, Abraham made the necessary preparations to carry out the act of sacrificing his son, displaying unwavering faith and obedience.
However, during this critical period, Iblis (Satan) attempted to tempt Abraham and his family, trying to sway them from fulfilling God's commandment.
Undeterred, Abraham responded by driving away Iblis, pelting him with pebbles. As a symbolic commemoration of their steadfastness against Iblis, the throwing of stones at symbolic pillars during the Hajj rites represents the location where Abraham resisted Iblis' temptation.
During the feast, Muslims re-enact Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram.
The family will then eat about a third of the meal, the other third goes to friends and relatives, and the remaining third is donated to the poor and needy.
It often 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.
