Eid: A Sacred Muslim Festival Of Breaking The Fast

Eid is a festival or feast in Arabic and is one of two major holidays celebrated by Muslims. Eid al-Fitr, or the festival of breaking the fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. It is celebrated during the first three days of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha, or the feast of the sacrifice, is the second major Eid and comes at the end of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Both Eids are distinguished by communal prayer and are a time for charity, celebration, and gift-giving.

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: the two major Eids

Eid is a "festival" or "feast" in Arabic and there are two major Eids in the Islamic calendar each year: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These are the two largest holidays for Muslims and are celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr is the "festival of breaking the fast" and marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. It is also known as the First Eid or the Lesser Eid. The day is marked by special morning prayers and the greeting "Eid Mubarak", which means "Blessed Eid". It is common to wear new clothes and share large meals with family and friends. Children often receive gifts of money. Eid al-Fitr lasts one day, though celebrations can continue for up to three days.

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha is the "feast of the sacrifice" and comes at the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. It is celebrated on the 10th day of the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. It is also known as the Greater Eid. The festival commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's orders. During Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter an animal to remember Ibrahim's sacrifice. The meat is divided into three equal parts, to be shared with family, friends, and those in need. Eid al-Adha lasts for four days.

Charity and forgiveness: key themes of Eid

Charity and forgiveness are key themes of Eid, with Eid al-Fitr being a time for Muslims to give to charity and celebrate the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.

Eid al-Fitr is one of two major holidays celebrated by Muslims, and it is also known as the "Festival of Breaking Fast". It is a three-day festival that marks the end of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Charity, or Zakat al-Fitr, is distributed to the poor and needy before the Eid prayer, to ensure everyone can take part in the festivities. This is a mandatory act of charity, and it is a highly emphasised value in Islam. The Quran states:

> Believe in Allah and his messenger, and give charity out of the (substance) that Allah has made you heirs of. For those of you who believe and give charity – for them is a great reward.

Eid al-Fitr is a time of celebration, with large meals shared with family and friends, and gifts given to children and those in need. It is also a time for forgiveness, with Muslims encouraged to forgive and seek forgiveness from one another.

The second major Eid, Eid al-Adha, is the "feast of the sacrifice", and it commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's orders. This Eid also involves the slaughter of an animal, and it is a reminder of the need to submit to God's will.

Both Eids are significant festivals in the Islamic calendar, with Eid al-Fitr being a time of great celebration, charity, and forgiveness.

Fasting: a significant part of Eid al-Fitr

Fasting is a significant part of Eid al-Fitr, which is also known as the "Festival of Breaking Fast". This is because the festival marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month where Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset.

During Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink anything, including water, from sunrise to sunset. They have an early morning meal before dawn, known as suhoor or sehri, and break their fast after sunset with an evening meal called iftar or fitoor. Some Muslims are exempt from fasting, including children who haven't reached puberty, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those who are ill.

Eid al-Fitr is a time of celebration and joy, with large meals shared among family and friends. It is also common for children to receive money or gifts from their elders. The festival lasts between one to three days, depending on the country.

The day of Eid al-Fitr begins with a community-wide prayer service in the morning, which is followed by festivities. Before the prayer, Muslims are expected to have made their mandatory end-of-Ramadan donation to charity, known as Zakat-ul-Fitr or Fitrana. This act of charity ensures that everyone in the community can participate in the celebrations.

Eid al-Fitr is a highly anticipated event in the Muslim faith, marking the end of a month of fasting and spiritual reflection. It is a time for celebration, charity, and coming together as a community.

Food and celebration: a central part of Eid

Food and celebration are indeed central to Eid, with the festival's name deriving from the Arabic words for "festival" or "feast".

Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is a joyous occasion that marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims, when they abstain from food and drink between dawn and sunset. Eid al-Fitr is a time for families and friends to come together and rejoice with food and drink, gift each other presents and dress up in new clothes.

The traditions of Eid al-Fitr vary, as Muslims originate from many different countries, but some things are universal. Eid is centred around celebrating the end of a month of fasting and spending time with family, friends and the wider community.

In the weeks leading up to Eid, Muslims shop for new clothes and gifts. It is customary for Muslims to decorate their houses and dress up in their best attire on the day. For breakfast, Muslims indulge in rich dishes before offering congregational Eid prayers. Prayers are offered at the mosque or in outdoor spaces to accommodate the large numbers of people attending.

Families and friends then slowly gather together throughout the day to enjoy a rich, opulent feast, at which time loved ones also often exchange gifts and money. There is no set menu for what should be on the table, but dishes prepared are always rich and decadent. Savoury snacks often include samosas, nunor bora (salty rice flour puffs), minced lamb and lentil patties, kebabs, pakoras and more.

Sweet snacks may include sheer kurma, halwa, handesh, carrot halwa, gulab jamun, rasmalai, kheer, firni, soan papdi, sweet zarda and handmade biscuits like nankhatai. If you're not keen on Indian sweets, then a fresh cream cake is perfectly acceptable too.

Eid al-Adha, the other major Eid festival, is also known as the "feast of the sacrifice". It comes at the end of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Eid al-Adha recalls the story of how God commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of faith. During Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter an animal to remember Ibrahim's sacrifice and remind themselves of the need to submit to the will of God.

Eid prayers: communal worship

Eid prayers are an important part of Eid celebrations. On this day, Muslims are encouraged to join in communal worship and give thanks to Allah.

Eid prayers take place in the early morning on the first day of Eid, after the sun has risen but before zawaal (when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky). The prayer window is typically between 7 am and 12 pm. It is recommended to pray in Jama’ah (congregation) with the local Muslim community.

The Eid prayer consists of two rakats (parts) and is performed in an open field, community centre, or mosque. It may also be performed at home, although there will be no sermon (khutbah) in this case. The prayer is led by an imam, who recites Quranic Surahs aloud and calls out the takbeers for the congregation to follow.

The prayer begins with a silent intention (niyah) in the heart, followed by the first takbeer, or takbeerat-ul-ihram (Allahu Akbar), spoken aloud. In the first rak'ah, six more takbeers are recited, followed by the imam reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah. The congregation then performs ruku and sujud.

In the second rak'ah, five takbeers are called, and the congregation repeats the imam's call and action. The imam recites Surah Al-Fatihah and an additional Surah, followed by the same procedure for ruku and sujud as in the first rak'ah. After the two sujuds, the congregation sits for Tashshahud. The imam then concludes the prayer by turning their head to the right and left shoulder, saying 'Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah'.

After the prayer, the imam delivers a sermon (khutbah) and leads a dua asking for God's forgiveness, mercy, peace, and blessings for all living beings.

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