Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) in Senegal

Meaning and name

Eid al-Adha commemorates the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice in obedience to God. Senegal’s Presidency describes the sacrifice as a lesson in faith, duty and solidarity; the holiday is commonly called Tabaski in the country.[2]

Prayer and preparation

A central observance is the Eid prayer. The Senegalese Presidency has documented the prayer at Dakar’s Great Mosque, led by its imam and attended by religious and civil authorities and worshippers.[2]

Preparation is also visible in the livestock trade. Government directives for Tabaski address the transport of sheep, supply to markets and the setup of authorized sales points. They also coordinate safety and veterinary measures around the animal supply chain.[3]

A legal day off

Senegal’s law lists Tabaski among the legal holidays and says that legal holidays are nonworking days. If Tabaski falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is also a holiday. The statute separately names certain holidays as both nonworking and paid; Tabaski is not in that paid list, so the cited provisions do not establish a general paid-day entitlement for Tabaski.[1][4]

Travelers should check with banks, shops and transport services, especially around the holiday and the busy sheep-marketing period.[3]

When it falls

Tabaski follows the Islamic lunar calendar date of 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, so its date shifts in the Gregorian calendar. Senegal’s Sunday rule applies when the holiday itself falls on that weekday; consult the official announcement for the locally observed date.[1]