Eid ul-Fitr is an occasion which not only calls for celebration but also
upholds the religious fervor preached by the Quran. Islam ushers its
followers to not waver form the path of Islam and perform five duties.
These duties reinforce their faith and religious devotion towards the
almighty and guide them on to honor and serve Allah with utmost
sincerity and devotion. The "Five Pillars of Islam" are:
Wish You All A Happy and Peaceful Eid.
Eid is an
Arabic
word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast". The
holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset
fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The first day of Eid,
therefore, falls on the first day of the month Shawwal. This is a day
where Muslims around the world try to show a common goal of unity.
Eid-ul-Fitr, "Eid-ul-fitr", Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is a single day (a Muslim is not permitted to fast that day), but it is usually celebrated for 3 days.
Eid-ul-Fitr more commonly known as Eid, is a Muslim Festival that is
celebrated all round the globe with pomp and glory. It's the perfect
occasion to glorify Allah's grace, kindness and love.
Although the date of Eid ul-Fitr is always the same in the Islamic
calendar, the date in the Gregorian calendar falls approximately 11 days
earlier each successive year, since the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Gregorian calendar is solar.
Hence if the Eid falls in the first ten days of a Gregorian calendar
year, there will be a second Eid in the last week of the same Gregorian
calendar year. The Gregorian date may vary between countries depending
on the local sightability of the new moon. Some expatriate Muslim
communities follow the dates as determined for their home country, while
others follow the local dates of their country of residence. In the
Islamic calendar, a new day, and therefore also Eid ul-Fitr, begins at
sunset.
The end of Ramadan opens door for the grand Eid-ul-Fitr festivity. Eid is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal after the end of the Ramadan. The beginning of the Shawwal month is marked with the advent of the new crescent moon.
As
per the Quran, Muslims are under the obligation to finish their fast on
the last day of Ramadan. It's also mandatory for the muslins to recite
Takbir during the Eid.
After observing an austere and a highly disciplined schedule during the
holy month of fasting, Eid is welcomed as the occasion full of
celebration, food and fun. Eid is an Arabic word which means celebration
while Fitr means to break the fast. Thus, the holy festival symbolizes
breaking the fast and everything that's evil within us. Eid stands for
harmony and brotherhood. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated for over three days.
Another essential ritual of Eid-ul–Fitr is the preparation of delectable
cuisine. Sharing and exchanging food items is an integral part of the
Eid celebration. Eid is the time to cook extremely marvelous dishes for
family and friends. One can say the festival Eid is all about feasting,
dressing, and celebrating in the best possible way. Allah bestows his
grace and blessings on us with the advent of the auspicious festival and
the Duas of the truthful disciples are heard and fruitfully answered.
In Indian, the night before Eid is called Chaand Raat, which means, "Night of the Moon." Muslims in these countries will often visit bazaars and shopping malls with their families for Eid shopping. Women, especially younger girls, will often apply the traditional Mehndi, or henna, on their hands and feet and wear colourful bangles.
The traditional Eid greeting is Eid Mubarak, and it is frequently followed by a formal embrace. Gifts are frequently given new clothes are part of the tradition and it is also common for children to be given small sums of money (Eidi) by their elders. It is common for children to offer salam to parents and adult relatives.
After the Eid prayers, it is common for some families to visit graveyards and pray for the salvation of departed family members. It is also common to visit neighbours, family members, specially senior relatives called Murubbis and to get together to share sweets, snacks and special meals including some special dishes that are prepared specifically on Eid. Special celebratory dishes in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh include Lachcha/লাচ্চা or sivayyan/শিমাই, a dish of fine, toasted sweet vermicelli noodles with milk and dried fruit.
On Eid day before prayers, people distribute a charity locally known as fitra. Many people also avail themselves of this opportunity to distribute zakat, an Islamic obligatory alms tax of 2.5% of one's annual savings, to the needy. Zakat is often distributed in the form of food and new clothes.
In India, there were many popular places for Muslims to congregate to celebrate Eid at this time include the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, Aishbagh Idgah in Lucknow; in Kolkata there is a prayer held on Red Road. Muslims turn out in the thousands, as there is a lot of excitement surrounding the celebration of this festival.
It is common for non-Muslims to visit their Muslim friends and neighbours on Eid to convey their good wishes. Eid is celebrated grandly in the city of Hyderabad which has rich Islamic Heritage. Hyderabadi haleem a type of meat stew is a popular dish during the month of Ramadan, it takes centre stage and becomes the main course at Iftar, the breaking of the fast.
As an obligatory act of charity, money is paid to the poor and the needy (Arabic:
Sadaqat-ul-fitr) before performing the ‘Eid prayer:
- To show happiness
- To give as much charity as is possible
- To pray Fajr in the local Masjid
- To go early for Eid salaat
- To read the takbirat in an open field.
- Go to the Eid prayer on foot
- Muslims recite the following incantation in a low voice while going to the Eid prayer: Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar. Lā ilāha illà l-Lāh wal-Lāhu akbar, Allahu akbar walil-Lāhi l-ḥamd. Recitation ceases when they get to the place of Eid or once the Imam commences activities.
- Muslims are recommended to use separate routes to and from the prayer grounds
