Eid al Fitr

Eid al Fitr

Eid al Fitr was first celebrated by the Prophet Muhammad with friends and family in 624 CE. They were celebrating their decisive victory at the Battle of Badr. It had been a battle between the Muslims in Medina and the Quraish in Makkah. Since then Eid al Fitr has been celebrated through out the world.

Muslims spend the month of Ramadan in fasting, praying, self restraint. When Ramadan ends they will celebrate Eid al Fitr, this starts on the first day of Shawwal and lasts for three days. Eid al Fitr is known as the Festival of Fast Breaking.

There is some debate about when Eid al Fitr actually starts. According to dates adopted by the High Council of North America, in 2010 Eid al Fitr will start on Thursday September 9th. Muslims celebrate their holidays on the sunset of the previous day. So the holiday will start at sunset on September 8th. In North America the holiday will start a day later due to the sightability of the moon.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, which means Eid al Fitr always falls on the same date on the Islamic Calendar. Since the Gregorian calendar is solar based, Eid al Fitr moves 11 days every year on the western calendar. The dates are based on astronomical calculations and not moon sightings with the naked eye.

Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al Fitr. In Muslims countries often the three days are an official holiday. Depending on the person and country the celebration can be extremely spiritual and pious or it could be more of a festive celebration.

The three days are spent with family and friends. People are expected to wear their best and newest clothing. It is also a time to give to the needy, so they can celebrate. Visits to cemeteries are common to pay respect to the dead. The start of Eid al Fitr begins in Mosques with the Eid prayer. A prayer that might be said "O Allah! Bless us in the day of our Eid and our fast breaking and let it be the best day that has passed over us."

Eil al Fitr serves the purpose of remembering Allah and offering thanks. It gives Muslims a chance to reflect over their strength or weakness of character which manifested itself during the month of Ramadan's fasting.

In Muslim countries there are outdoor celebrations which can include firework displays, concerts, and parades. Common greetings are Id Mubarak or Id Said meaning Blessed Eid or Happy Eid.

In Egypt families will gather on the banks of the Nile to celebrate, showing off new holiday outfits. There is music and much dancing. Favorite treats are smoked or salted fish and traditional Eid cookies.

In Saudi Arabia a traditional meal of lamb mixed with rice and vegetables is prepared for family and friends. In Riyadh the capital the local government sponsors a festival after prayers.

In Turkey the celebrations are combined with national traditions. It is a public holiday with schools and government offices closed for the duration of the celebrations. People attend prayer services, wear their best clothes and visit their relatives. It is important to honor elderly citizens. Children will go door to door offering their neighbors best wishes. The children are rewarded with chocolates, Baklava and money. Some towns will hold fundraisers for the poor. Eid al Fitr is also a time to make up and end past animosities.

In the Asian country of Indonesia, which has one of the largest Muslim population in the world, Eil al Fitr is an official government holiday. Eil al Fitr is known as Idul Fitri. Idul Fitri has legally mandated salary increases for all employees called the Tunjangan Hari Raya. It is common for the laborers to return to their hometowns to seek forgiveness from parents, in-laws, and their elders. After morning prayers they will visit the graves of departed loved ones. While visiting they will clean the graves and recite chapters from the Quran. This is done to ask Allah to forgive the dead and the living for their sins.

The African nation of Tunisia there is three to four days of celebration. Special biscuits are made to give to friends and relatives. There is a big family lunch, where the children display their new holiday outfits. Gifts are exchanged and there is music and dancing.

Eil al Fitr is celebrated world wide with many types of celebrations. It is a time to rejoice and to thank Allah for giving them the courage and strength to observe the fast during Ramadan. It is a time to seek forgiveness and to forgive others. It is also a day for the haves to give to the have-nots.