Baku: Eid al-Adha prayers will be held in all central mosques across the country, APA reports. This was stated in the Eid al-Adha congratulatory message of Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade. It was noted that on May 27, the holiday prayer will be performed at 08:00 at the Ajdarbey Mosque in Baku and at 09:00 at the Tazapir Mosque.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory of ANAS has calculated that, in accordance with the visibility of the crescent on the horizon of Azerbaijan, Eid al-Adha will fall on the 10th day of the month of Zul-Hijjah, which corresponds to May 27 on the Gregorian calendar. The Caucasus Muslims Office confirmed this date.
The fatwa further explains that this year, the holiday date was unanimously accepted by the Council of Heads of Religious Administrations of the Organization of Turkic States on May 18, 2026. Animal sacrifice may begin on May 27 and continue for three days. Eid prayers will be performed in mosques on May 27.
The state has declared the days of Eid al-Adha as non-working days in Azerbaijan. The fatwa expressed gratitude for the state's attention to believers and extended congratulations to the head of the state, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and First Vice-President Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva. It also conveyed blessings from believers to their families and wished them success in their activities for the development of state-religion relations.
The fatwa notes that sheep are usually preferred for sacrifice, but goats, cows, and camels may also be chosen. It emphasizes the importance of helping those in need through the distribution of meat, aligning with the spirit of the religion. The ritual of animal sacrifice must be conducted in clean and sanitary conditions. Animals need to be healthy and meet specific age requirements: goats and sheep must be one year old, bulls and cows more than two years old, and camels must have completed five years. The animal must be laid facing the qibla and slaughtered in the name of Allah with the intention of sacrifice. The meat is typically divided into three parts: one for the owner, another for needy families, and the third as gifts to relatives.