Muslims worldwide gather together to observe the significant religious holiday of Eid ul Fitr, also referred to as Eid al-Fitr or simply Eid. It is the end of the holy month of Ramadan, which Muslims observe by abstaining from food and drink from dawn until sunset each day. Traditionally, the Eid ul Fitr festival takes place on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. During this time, Muslims gather with their families and friends to pray, give each other gifts, and eat together.
Muslims express their gratitude to Allah for giving them the strength to fast by celebrating Eid al-Fitr. This holiday also serves as an opportunity for Muslims to ask for forgiveness for any sins that they committed throughout the previous year. It is also a time for Muslims to strengthen their relationships with family, friends, and the larger community at large, as well as to extend acts of kindness and charity to those who are in need during this time.
Meaning of Eid al-Fitr:
One of the two most important holidays on the Islamic calendar is called Eid al-Fitr. It is an Arabic word that literally translates to "Festival of Breaking Fast," and it gets its name from the fact that it is observed after the month-long fasting period of Ramadan.
Because Muslims come from a variety of backgrounds and speak a variety of languages, you may hear other names for the holiday besides Eid al-Fitr. You might hear people refer to Eid al-Fitr as Bayram in Turkey, Hari Raya in Malaysia, or Korité in Senegal, just to name a few countries and their respective holidays.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2023:
The first day of Shawwal (the tenth Islamic month) marks the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, which lasts until the third day of Shawwal. A three-day celebration based on the lunar Islamic calendar.
On the solar Gregorian calendar, the date of Eid al-Fitr is subject to change. It occurs approximately 11 days earlier in the Gregorian calendar every year. The celebration is not limited to a specific time of year; rather, it occurs in all four seasons once every forty years or so.
Since lunar months begin once the new crescent is sighted, the precise date of Eid al-Fitr on a Gregorian calendar is sometimes uncertain. While some Muslims wait to celebrate Eid al-Fitr until they have seen the crescent with their own eyes, others base their celebrations on scientific calculations of the moon's phase.
Friday, April 21, 2023, through Sunday, April 23, 2023, is when most people anticipate celebrating Eid al-Fitr in 2023.
Ramadan:
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is designated as the holy month of fasting, known in Arabic as Ramadan. The crescent moon marks the beginning and end of this time period. Ramadan starts 10-12 days earlier every year due to the shorter Muslim calendar year, allowing it to fall in every season over a 33-year cycle.
The Quran, the holy book of Islam, is said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by God during Ramadan on the "Night of Power" (Laylat al-Qadr), which is celebrated on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, typically the 27th night. During Ramadan, Muslims reflect on their lives, pray together in the mosque, and read the Holy Quran. If you fast, pray, and have a sincere intention during this holy month, God will forgive any sins you may have committed in the past.
But Ramadan is more about practicing self-restraint in accordance with sawm (Arabic for "to refrain"), one of the five pillars of Islam (the five basic tenets of the Muslim religion). Generally speaking, sawm refers to the requirement that Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, engaging in sexual activity, and engaging in any other immoral behavior between the hours of dawn and dusk during the month of Ramadan. Therefore, just like eating and drinking can ruin a fast, so can saying or doing something dishonest or harmful.
After the evening prayer, Muslims traditionally break their fast together with friends and family at a meal called iftar. As was Muhammad's practice, the iftar traditionally begins with a mixture of dates, apricots, and water or sweetened milk. Over the course of the month of Ramadan, the entire Qur'an may be recited during the prayer sessions. In some countries with a majority Muslim population, work hours during the day are shifted and, in some cases, shortened to allow for evening prayers. If you want to eat and drink, you can't do it until the Quran says it's okay to do so because the "white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn." To signal the start of the pre dawn meal, known as the suhur, Muslims in some communities will ring bells or beat drums.
How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated:
Eid al-Fitr is celebrated in various ways depending on cultural traditions, but some of the common practices include:
-
Preparing special foods and sweets: Muslims prepare a variety of special dishes and sweets for Eid al-Fitr, which is often a time of feasting and celebration. These can include traditional dishes such as biryani, samosas, and kebabs, as well as sweets like baklava, sheer khurma, and kheer.
-
Attending prayers: On the morning of Eid al-Fitr, Muslims attend a special prayer service known as Salat al-Eid, which is usually held in an open area or a large mosque. This prayer is a time for Muslims to offer thanks to God and to seek his blessings.
-
Giving gifts: Eid al-Fitr is a time for giving and receiving gifts, especially to children. It is common for parents, relatives, and friends to give money, toys, or new clothes to children as a way of celebrating the holiday.
-
Visiting family and friends: Eid al-Fitr is a time for gathering with family and friends, so it is common for people to visit each other's homes and share meals and sweets. It is also a time to reconcile with estranged family members or friends and to strengthen relationships.
-
Performing acts of charity: Eid al-Fitr is a time for compassion and generosity, so many Muslims perform acts of charity by giving money, food, or other resources to those in need.
Overall, Eid al-Fitr is a time of joy, celebration, and thanksgiving for Muslims around the world.
Eid-Mubarak Meaning:
Eid Mubarak is a common greeting used by Muslims during the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays. It is an Arabic phrase that means "blessed festival" or "happy holiday".
"Eid" means "festival" or "holiday," while "Mubarak" means "blessed" or "fortunate". So, when someone says "Eid Mubarak," they are expressing their wishes for the holiday to be filled with blessings, joy, and happiness for the person they are greeting.
It is a way of extending good wishes and expressing a sense of community and shared celebration during this special time. The phrase can be used in person, over the phone, or in written messages such as cards, emails, or social media posts.