Sacrifice
The most common sacrificial ritual is the compulsory slaughter of an animal as part of the obligatory pilgrimage (hajj) and the optional slaughter of an animal by nonpilgrims on the occasion of Id al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), which commemorates Abraham 's sacrifice. More recently the ritual has been interpreted as fulfilling the needs of social welfare and charity: the meat of sacrifices during the hajj is distributed to disadvantaged Muslim communities. Aqiqah is the optional traditional sacrifice of animals on the occasion of a birth. Animal sacrifice may also be made in fulfillment of a vow or as expiation of a sin during the pilgrimage.