Either this Tuesday or Wednesday it will be Eid. Eid is a big deal for me and my family, so today's post will be about it, especially since Eid is a day of celebration and having fun and that is something everyone deserves to have from time to time. It’s currently the Easter holiday, so this day of celebration and relaxation couldn’t have come at a more perfect time!
I mentioned that it could be on one of two days: Tuesday or Wednesday. You’d expect us to know by heart when this special day is, but the Islamic calendar is based off the moon, making it a lunar calendar. As a result, the dates change every year by moving forward around 11 days on the Gregorian calendar.
Eid is the first of Islam’s 2 main celebrations. It’s full name is Eid ul-Fitr, which literally means the ‘festival of breaking fast’ as it comes straight after the month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset everyday for a month. It doesn’t occur on the last day of Ramadan, but on the first day of the next month (Shawwal, which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar). It is also known as the ‘small Eid’ or the ‘lesser Eid’ because it is the shorter one of the 2 Eids.
Bidding goodbye to Ramadan is never easy. You may feel as though you haven’t made the most of it and whether you’ll make it to next Ramadan is unknown. Eid makes the farewell easier by filling the day with joy and happiness rather than sadness.
On Eid, people would wear new clothes and exchange gifts. Children may be given money and Eid greetings fill the air as friends and family congratulate each other for completing the month of Ramadan. Different cultures celebrate Eid differently, with some cultures calling it different names entirely. In fact, how Eid is celebrated differs from family to family. However, one thing that remains unchanged about how Eid is celebrated is that the day begins with Eid prayers (with a sermon right before it). Everyone gives Zakat al-Fitr before the arrival of Eid to be given to the poor so that they too can partake in Eid.
Eid is a joy for all muslims, old and young, and is celebrated across the globe at approximately the same time. Loads of events are held to celebrate the event and the backgrounds of the people celebrating is incredibly diverse. All sorts of clothes are worn and different foods and sweets are shared. And something that makes I even more beautiful is that everyone can partake in the festivities - even if they aren’t Muslim!
That’s all from me today. I’ll see you in my next post! Eid Mubarak!
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