Eid al-Fitr is an important Islamic holiday observed by Muslims across the world. It is observed with celebrations and prayers.
Muslims come together to share and enjoy the blessings of God during this festive occasion. The Eid is all about families celebrating together and praying to Allah. Eid is celebrated after Ramadan and is also based on the lunar calendar.
Here are 5 Things You Should Know about Eid al-Fitr:
This holiday is also called the Festival of “Breaking of the Fast”. It is one of two major Eid holidays in Islam. The other one is Eid al-Adha, which marks the beginning of the 10th month of the lunar calendar (Shawaal) and is determined by the sighting of the moon.
The date of Eid al-Fitr varies from one country to another. This is because the holiday is marked by moon sighting, which usually begins on the 29th day of Ramadan. Once the moon is sighted on 29th, the Hijri month of Shawwal begins the day after.
After 30 days of fasting, Eid al-Fitr is celebrated to break the fast and enjoy the festivities. It is not allowed to fast during Eid.
Different countries celebrate Eid in their own way. Here are some examples of Eid al-Fitr celebrations around the world:
United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, Eid is celebrated with morning prayers in mosques where devotees gather to pray and greet each other. It is often marked by festivities and families gathering to celebrate the important occasion.
United States
There are Islamic centers in the US that host Eid celebrations. Muslims in the US visit their families and offer prayers in mosques. The celebration continues for 3 days in the USA. Gifts are usually sweet delicacies.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, Eid al-Fitr is not a public holiday. Muslims in the UK attend Morning Prayer. Some companies offer leave to Muslim employees to celebrate Eid. They also visit the cemetery to offer prayers and serve Siweya, Handesh, Noonor Bora, and Fulab which are traditional dishes.
Egypt celebrates Eid in more than 4 days. The Fata and Kahk are two popular delicacies they serve in Egypt during Eid. People exchange gifts and families visit sites and attractions in Egypt.
Canada
There’s a large number of Muslims in Canada. Thus, Muslims in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary have special Islamic Centers that organize festivities and prayers.
During Eid, all government offices and schools are closed in Turkey for 3 days. Turkish Muslims wear the traditional clothing called “bayramik”. During Eid, it is practiced to wear their best clothes. The traditional Turkish sweets such as Baklava, Turkish Delight, and chocolates.
Eid al-Fitr is known as Hari Raya Aidilfitiri. Malaysian Muslims travel to their homes to pray with their parents and the elders. This homecoming tradition is known as Balik Kampung.
Saudi Arabia celebrates Eid al-Fitr with delicious meals and decorating their homes. Muslims give gifts to other people as well as themselves. It is also a tradition in Saudi to put large rugs on the street to share meals to neighbors.
In the UAE, Eid al-Fitr is a public and private holiday in the UAE which is also an official paid holiday on the first and second days of Shawwal.
Muslims will start their Eid celebration by waking up early and performing morning prayer. Before going to the mosque to pray, Muslims eat dates. They perform zakat (charity) to purify any indecent acts or speech they did during fasting. Then, Muslims will offer their Salat al-Fitr or Eid prayers. This is mandatory and should be performed in groups, usually held in mosques.
The celebration is not complete without greeting relatives, family, and friends during the celebration. Muslims enjoy delicacies and food served during Eid and exchange gifts. It can last for up to 3 days while in some countries, it can last up to 4 days. In some countries, it is a practice for Elders to give money to children and Muslims will also exchange Eid greetings to families and even strangers.
Eid al-Fitr is also known as the “Lesser Eid” as there are two Eid holidays celebrated by Muslims. The “Greater Eid” is Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. The Greater Eid signifies Ibrahim’s sacrifice to Allah. This religious holiday is also held at a different time every year.
You can greet your Muslim friends and colleagues with “Eid Mubarak,” which translates to “Have a blessed Eid!” to mark the occasion.
To celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Muslims will perform a ritual of cleaning their body before offering some morning prayers. They will wear fine clothes and decorate their hands with henna. Most Muslims wear traditional dress during this day.
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