Eid al-Adha is observed during which Islamic month?

Eid al-Adha is observed during Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar.

The festival begins on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah and is commonly observed for four days, through the 13th. The month is especially significant because it contains the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. The 9th day is Arafah, a central day of worship for both pilgrims and many Muslims observing from elsewhere.

Dhu al-Hijjah is part of the Islamic lunar calendar, whose months begin according to the sighting or determination of the new crescent. Because the lunar year is about 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian year, Eid al-Adha moves earlier each solar year and can occur in different seasons over time.

This festival is distinct from Eid al-Fitr, which follows Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal. Muharram is also an important month, but it is the first month of the Islamic year, not the month of Eid al-Adha.