Eid al-Adha is a celebration of the sacrifice the Prophet Abraham made, said Malik, a spokeswoman for the Muslim Students’ Association.

“It restores our belief in God because according to the (Quran), Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son,” Malik said.

“In place of his son … God put a goat there instead.”

Malik said Prophet Abraham proved his obedience to God through the sacrifice.
Eid al-Adha also is called the Festival of Sacrifice, in honor of Abraham’s initial sacrifice to God.

“God wanted to see if Abraham would listen to him and believe in him, and he did,” Malik said.

“That’s why every year each (Muslim) family is supposed to sacrifice a goat.”
Traditionally, animal sacrifices are divided into three equal parts, said Thasin Sardar, a member of the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing.

One part is taken by the person who made the sacrifice, one part is given to friends and one part is donated to charity.

Sardar said the holiday also is about making personal sacrifices.

“(This holiday is about) making sacrifices in life, not necessarily animals,” Sardar said. “(It’s about) what you need to give up in life to be a nicer human being and the act of giving in terms of charity and receiving gifts.”

The Muslim Students’ Association, Malaysian Student Organization, The Saudi Student Organization and Somali Student Organization are co-sponsoring a feast in celebration of the holiday at 7 p.m. Thursday in Room 115 of the International Center to celebrate.

Student groups organized the event last Thursday to allow students and community members to spend the holiday with family Tuesday.

Along with Arabic food, Thursday’s feast will feature several tables with information about Islam, Malik said. She said there will be booths about the Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that all Muslims are required to make, and a henna booth, among others.

This is the second year psychology sophomore and President of the Saudi Student Organization Alaa Tayeb spent the holiday without his family, who lives in Saudi Arabia.
Tayeb said the Thursday’s dinner will give Saudi Arabian and other international students the chance to celebrate the holiday with friends.

“Because most people from Saudi Arabia don’t have their families here … we’re trying to bring the culture of Saudi Arabia in this school (together) to make them feel more at home,” Tayeb said.