Eid al-Adha canceled three times under late Hassan II – now King Mohammed VI makes a historic first

Morocco has experienced three instances in its modern history where the celebration of Eid al-Adha was officially canceled under the leadership of King Hassan II, each time due to significant challenges facing the nation. Now, for the first time in his reign, King Mohammed VI has made the unprecedented decision to suspend the observance of the religious tradition.

The first cancellation occurred in 1963, when Morocco was still reeling from the aftermath of the Sand War with Algeria, which had erupted over border disputes just a year after Algeria gained its independence.

 The conflict severely drained Morocco’s resources, resulting in an economic crisis that impacted the entire country. As a consequence, King Hassan II issued a royal decree suspending the Eid sacrifice, which is a deeply rooted tradition in Moroccan society. 

Despite this, some Moroccans continued to perform the sacrifice in secret, either by slaughtering animals at night or in remote areas, defying the royal order.

The second cancellation took place in 1981, during a time of severe drought that affected large parts of Morocco. 

The drought led to a widespread loss of livestock, exacerbating the country’s financial difficulties, which were also compounded by the burden of foreign debt. 

Faced with these dire conditions, King Hassan II again suspended the Eid al-Adha celebration, explaining that performing the sacrifice in such a situation would cause further economic harm, especially with the high costs of livestock. While many citizens accepted the decision, a significant number of them defied the king’s order, secretly slaughtering animals and hiding their actions from authorities out of fear of being reported.

The third instance came in 1996, following consecutive years of drought that continued to ravage Morocco. 

By 1995, the situation had escalated to such a degree that Morocco declared a “national disaster year” due to the severe shortage of rainfall. King Hassan II, concerned about the ongoing devastation to livestock and the rising prices of sheep that would make the sacrifice unaffordable for many, issued another royal decree suspending the Eid celebration. 

He explained that while the sacrifice was an important religious tradition, carrying it out in such harsh circumstances would only exacerbate the suffering of the Moroccan people, especially those with limited incomes who would be hit hardest by the rising prices.

Now, in 2025, King Mohammed VI has taken the unprecedented step of suspending the observance of Eid al-Adha for the first time during his reign, a  decision that reflects the current challenges facing the nation.