Eid-ul-Fitr Salat (Namaz in Urdu/Persian) is a Wajib (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) or mandoob depending on which juristic opinion is followed salat of two raka'ah (units) which is generally offered in an open field called Idgah. This salat should be performed with Jama’at with extra six Takbirs, three of them in the beginning of the first raka'ah and three of them just before ruku' in the second raka'ah. Eid ul-Fitr is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" (Arabic: العيد الصغير al-‘īdu ṣ-ṣaghīr) as compared to the Eid al-Adha that lasts four days following the Hajj and is casually referred to as the "Greater Eid" (Arabic: العيد الكبير al-‘īdu l-kabīr).
Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an to complete their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid.
General rituals
Common greetings during this holiday are the Arabic greeting ‘Īd mubārak ("Blessed Eid") or ‘Īd sa‘īd ("Happy Eid"). In addition, many countries have their own greetings based on local language and traditions.
Typically, Muslims wake up relatively early in the morning—always before sunrise— offer Salatul Fajr, clean one's teeth with a Miswaak or a brush, take a shower (Gosul) after Fajr, put on new clothes or the best available, and apply perfume.
It is haraam, or forbidden, to fast on the Day of Eid. That is why it is recommended to have a small breakfast (as a sign of not being on a fast on that day) of sweet dish, preferably the date fruit, before attending the special Eid prayer (salah). It is a Sunnah (habit or usual practice) that the Sadaqat-ul-fitr, an obligatory charity, is paid to the poor and the needy before performing the ‘Eid prayer by all those adult Muslims who are required to pay Zakat. Muslims recite the following Takbir in the low voice while going to the Eid prayer: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha ilal lahu wal Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lilla hil hamnd. Another Sunnah of Muhammad is that Muslims should use two separate routes to and from the prayer ground (Idgah).
EID prayer is performed in congregation in open areas like fields, squares etc or at mosques. No adhan or iqama (call) is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two rakaʿāt with additional 6 Takbirs. The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a supplication (dua) asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. The khutbah also instructs Muslims as to the performance of rituals of Eid, such as the zakat. Listening to the khutbah of Eid is necessary (wajib) i.e. while the khutbah is being delivered, it is haraam to talk, walk about or offer prayer. It is then customary to embrace the persons sitting on either side of oneself, whilst greeting them. After the prayers, people visit their relatives, friends and acquaintances.
Eidi or Gifts are frequently given, it is common for children to be given small sums of money (Eidi) by adult relatives or friends. It is also common for children to salam parents and adult relatives, they usually get money from the adult relatives or friends, even if the family is middle class or wealthy.
Islamic tradition
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. This has to do with the communal aspects of the fast, which expresses many of the basic values of the Muslim community. Fasting is believed by some scholars to extol fundamental distinctions, lauding the power of the spiritual realm, while acknowledging the subordination of the physical realm.
Practices by country
United States of America (USA)
Most of the Muslims in the United States take a day off from work and go to prayer in big-city Islamic centers, convention halls or open parks. Muslims from different cultures with multi-national customs get together for prayers and celebrations. In some cities, prayers are done at multiple times to accommodate the many attendees. Generally, people visit each other's houses on the Eid day. During the weekend of the Eid week, Muslims join big parties sponsored either by Islamic center or a wealthy Muslim in the community. Children receive gifts and sweets and spicy dishes are served. Wealthy Muslims donate money to those less fortunate. Sometimes, Muslims reserve amusement parks or ice-skating rinks or other activity centers for an entire day of fun and celebration.
United Kingdom
There is a khutbah (sermon) in which the Imam gives advice to the Muslim community and usually Muslims are encouraged to end any past animosities they may have. He then goes on to the khutbah and then the prayer itself. When the local imam declares Eid Al-Fitr everyone greets and hugs each other.
As Eid Al-Fitr is not a recognised public holiday in the United Kingdom, Muslims are obliged to attend the morning prayer. In a large ethnically Muslim area, normally schools and local businesses give exemptions to the Muslim community to take three days off.
During the morning, men usually wear thawb, jubba, sherwani, and women usually wear salwar kameez. Men go to the mosque for the Eid prayers, after which people greet each other. After this many will go to a local cemetery to pay respect and to remember the deceased. When they return home they will congratulate family, friends, other Muslims and visit relatives across the city. People cook traditional food for their relatives. Bengali dishes and Pakistani Dishes such as samosas, Siweya, rice and Handesh, Noonor Bora, and fulab are particularly popular.
Turkey
Turkey, nation-wide celebrated holidays are referred to as bayram, and Eid ul-Fitr is referred to as both Şeker Bayramı ("Bayram of Sweets") and Ramazan Bayramı ("Ramadan Bayram"). It is a public holiday, where schools and government offices are generally closed for the entire three-day period of the celebrations.
The celebrations of this Bayram are infused with national traditions. It is customary for people to greet one another with Bayramınız kutlu olsun ("May your Bayram be happy") or Bayramınız mübarek olsun ("May your Bayram be holy"). Mutlu Bayramlar ("Happy Bayram") is an alternative phrase for celebrating this Bayram. It is a time for people to attend prayer services, put on their best clothes (referred to as Bayramlık, often purchased just for the occasion, visit all their loved ones (such as relatives, neighbours, and friends), and pay their respects to the deceased with organized visits to cemeteries, where large, temporary bazaars of flowers, water (for watering the plants adorning a grave), and prayer books are set up for the three-day occasion. The first day of the Bayram is generally regarded as the most important, with all members of the family waking up early, and the men going to their neighbourhood mosque for the special Bayram prayer.
It is regarded as especially important to honour elderly citizens by kissing their right hand and placing it on one's forehead while wishing them Bayram greetings. It is also customary for young children to go around their neighbourhood, door to door, and wish everyone a happy Bayram, for which they are awarded candy, chocolates, traditional sweets such as baklava and Turkish Delight, or a small amount of money at every door, similar to the Halloween custom in the United States.
Municipalities all around the country organize fund-raising events for the poor, in addition to public shows such as concerts or more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theatre and even performances by the Mehter – the Janissary Band that was founded during the days of the Ottoman Empire.
Eid prayers
Public Eid prayers are held in every masjid and in public places. The biggest prayer is held in Mosalla (a spacious place for prayer) where the imam leads the prayer.
Afghanistan
In the Predominantly Sunni Islam culture of Afghanistan, Eid has big importance and celebrated more widely than other Islamic neighboring countries.This Eid among the Persian speaking community is called Eid e ramazan and among the pashto speaking community is called kochnai Akhtar.
In Afghanistan the Eid has special importance as it marks the end of month of ramazan so people are starting the preparation for this Eid from 20th of ramazan by cleaning up their houses which is known among the persian speaking community as Khana Takani and go to bazaar to buy sweets and other delicious snacks such semyan, nakhod shor wa tond cake wa kolcha and more to serve their guests during this holy day. Buying new cloths is Also very common among the people of Afghanistan.
In the day of Eid people first offer Eid prayer and then gather at their homes with their families and offer greeting to each other by saying (Akhtar mo mubarak sha rojay munzona aw taraweh mo qabule sha) means Happy Eid to you and may your fasting prayers and Taraweh have been accepted by Allah. Then elders give money to children which is known as Eidi. Visiting each other and spending times with families whose visits are difficult in other times are common among the people of Afghanistan.
Eid is celebrated for three days in Afghanistan.
South Asia
In Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal, the night before Eid is called Chaand Raat, which means, night of the moon. People often visit bazaars and shopping malls, with their families and children, for last minute Eid shopping. Women, especially young girls, often paint each others' hands with traditional Mehndi and wear colourful bangles.
During Eid, the traditional greeting is Eid Mubarak, and frequently also includes a formal embrace. Gifts are frequently given—new clothes are traditional — and it is also common for children to be given small sums of money (Eidi) by their elders. It is common for children to salam parents and adult relatives, they usually get money from the adult relative, if the family is middle class or wealthy.
After the Eid prayers, it is common for families to visit graveyards and pray for the salvation of departed family members.
Special celebratory dishes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and Fiji include sivayyan, a dish of fine, toasted sweet vermicelli noodles with milk and dried fruit.[12] In Bangladesh, the dish is called shemai( bengali: সেমাই ). In Bangladesh, Chot-poti is also a very popular item during Eid day.
Some people also avail themselves of this opportunity to distribute zakat, the Islamic obligatory alms tax on one's wealth, to the needy.
In India the some popular places where Muslims congregate to celebrate Eid at this time are the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, in Kolkata there is a prayer held on the Red Road. People can be spotted in thousands, there is a lot of excitement in the celebration of this festival. Eid is a public holiday and is celebrated all over India. Even non-Muslims visit their Muslim friends on this occasion, to convey their good wishes.
Unlike the rest of the Muslim world, South Asians celebrate Eid-ul-fitr for three days.
Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, so it is very common to see people celebrating Eid in virtually every part of Indonesia. Eid is known in Indonesia as Idul Fitri (or more informally as Lebaran). It is a national holiday, with the exact date determined by local lunar observation. Generally speaking, in the Gregorian calendar, Idul Fitri "moves forwards" 11 days per year. For example, in 2009 Idul Fitri occurred on September 21 and 22, while for 2010 it fell on September 9 and 10 with possible variance of two to three days either side.
Additionally, in Indonesia Idul Fitri has a legally mandated salary bonus for all employees, known as Tunjangan Hari Raya (THR) as enforced by Indonesia's Department of Labour, Employment and Society ("Departemen Pengawasan Dinas Tenaga Kerja dan Sosial"). The mandated amount of this salary bonus differs by region. For example, within the Jakarta region the THR bonus must be at least Rp 1 million but not less than one month's full salary paid in advance of Idul Fitri, in addition to the employee's regular salary. Thus, Idul Fitri is also a paid holiday. Breaching or withholding THR is a very serious labour law infraction and punished severely, regardless of employer status or position.
In Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, Eid is more commonly known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Idul Fitri or Hari Raya Puasa. Hari Raya literally means 'Celebration Day'.
It is the biggest holiday in Indonesia and Brunei; and one of the biggest in Malaysia and Singapore. Shopping malls and bazaars are filled with people days ahead of Idul Fitri, causing a distinctive festive atmosphere throughout the country and traffic mayhem. Many banks, government and private offices are closed for the duration of the Idul festivities, known collectively as the Lebaran.
In Indonesia, it is common during this period that many people engage in "mudik" activity. It is an annual tradition that people in big cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, or elsewhere, travel to their home town in another cities to visit their relatives in order to forgive each other and celebrate Eid with the whole family. The government of Indonesia has prepared the transportation infrastructures to accommodate a huge amount of travellers by repairing damaged roads and bridges. However, the impact will be still tremendous as millions of cars and motorcycles will jam the roads and highways, causing kilometres of traffic jams.
Additionally, the wealthier classes often "escape" to local hotels, or commonly Singapore and Australia to avoid not having domestic servants, drivers or sometimes, security personnel. Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian hotels have been particularly successful marketing lucrative Lebaran or Idul Fitri "escape package".
One of the largest temporary human migrations globally, is the prevailing custom of the Lebaran where workers, particularly unskilled migrants labourers such as maids and construction labourers return to one's home town or city and ask forgiveness from ones' parents, in-laws and elders. This is known as mudik, pulang kampung or in Malaysian balik kampung.
The night before Idul Fitri is filled with the sounds of many muezzin singing the takbir held in the mosques or mushollahs. In many parts of Indonesia as well as Malaysia, especially in rural areas, pelita or panjut or lampu colok (as known by Malay-Singaporeans) (oil lamps, similar to tiki torches) are lit up and placed outside and around the house. Special dishes like ketupat, dodol, lemang (a type of glutinous rice cake cooked in bamboo) and other Indo-Malay (and in the case of Malaysia, also Nyonya) delicacies are served during this day.
The lively or alternatively very emotional devotional music and sung Quranic verse associated with this period is known as Kaisidah or more correctly, Qasida. It is commonly performed by famous musicians, some of whom may be international stars and is televised nation-wide.
It is common to greet people with "Selamat Idul Fitri" or "Salam Aidilfitri" or "Selamat Hari Raya"(in Malaysia) which means "Happy Eid". Muslims also greet one another with "mohon maaf zahir dan batin" in Indonesia and "maaf zahir dan batin" in Malaysia, which means "Forgive my physical and emotional (wrongdoings)", because Idul Fitri is not only for celebrations but a time for atonement: to ask for forgiveness for sins which they may have committed but was cleansed as a result of the fasting in the Muslim month of Ramadan.
It is customary for Muslim-Indonesians and Muslim-Malaysians to wear a traditional cultural costume on Idul Fitri. The Indonesian male costume is known as baju koko: a collarless long or short-sleeve shirt with traditional embroidered designs with a "kilt" sarung of songket, ikat or similar woven, plaid-cloth or alternatively either modern business-suit trousers or more traditional loose-fitting trousers of similar colour to the shirt, and either a peci hat or regional cultural head wear and songkok. The Malay variant (worn in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and parts of Indonesia (particularly in parts of Sumatera and Kalimantan) is known as the Baju Melayu, shirt worn with a sarong known as kain samping or songket and a headwear known as songkok.
Female costume is known as kebaya krudung. It consists of, normally, a loose-fitting blouse (which may be enhanced with brocade and embroidery), a long skirt both of which may be batik, or the sarung skirt made of batik, ikat or songket and either the jilbab (hijab) or its variant the stiffened krudung. Malaysian costume is referred to as Baju Kurung and baju kebaya. It is a common practice however for the Muslim-Malaysians in Singapore to refer to the baju kurung in reference to the type of outfit, worn by men. It should be noted this term is not used in Indonesia, as it is an example of humorous poor translation between Malaysian and Indonesian, as kurung means a cage, parentheses, or a sack, depending on the context.
For non-Austronesian Muslims, or even non-Muslims they may don costumes of their respective culture and tradition, or wear Islamic clothes to show respect to their relatives' or friends' differing religious beliefs for the occasion. This is particularly common in Indonesia, where many families have close friends or relatives of differing faiths, namely Catholic, some Protestant and Muslim.
Once the prayer is completed, it is common for Muslims in both Indonesia and Malaysia to visit the graves of loved ones. During this visit, they clean the grave, recite Ya-Seen, a chapter (sura) from the Qur'an and also perform the tahlil ceremony. All these are done to ask God to forgive the dead and also those who are living for all their sins.
The Javanese majority of Indonesia are known for their Kejawen traditions of washing the headstone using scented water from the traditional terracotta water-jug, the kendi, and sprinkling hyacinth and jasmine over the graves.
In Indonesia there is a special ritual called halal bi-halal. During this, Muslim-Indonesians visit their elders, in the family, the neighbourhood, or their work, and show respect to them. They will also seek reconciliation (if needed), and preserve or restore harmonious relations.
The rest of the day is spent visiting relatives or serving visitors. Idul Fitri is a very joyous day for children as the adults give them money. They also celebrate by lighting traditional bamboo cannon firecrackers known as meriam bambu Ramadhan, using kerosene in large hollow bamboo tubes or Chinese imported crackers. The traditional bamboo cannon, meriam bambu are notoriously loud and can be very dangerous to operator, bystander and even nearby buildings.
These are usually bamboo tubes 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in diameter and 4–7 m (13–23 ft) long, filled with either: water and several hundred grams of calcium carbide, or heated kerosene, then ignited by match.
Celebrating with firecrackers in the early morning during Ramadan is now banned in many areas - though many rascals evade the law and disturb the neighbourhood.
In Malaysia, children will be given token sums of money, also known as "duit raya" (literally "celebration money"), from their parents or elders.
Myanmar/Burma
In Myanmar (ASEAN nations officially refer to Myanmar/Burma exclusively as Myanmar), Eid ul-Fitr lasts for only one day for Burmese Muslims. They call this day Eid Nei’ (Nei’=day) or Eid Ka Lay (Ka Lay=small) or Shai Mai Eid, because Shai Mai or sayviah/sweet vermicelli served with fried cashews, coconut shreds, raisins with milk is the main Burmese Muslim traditional food cooked during the Burmese Muslim Eids.
During Ramadan, in the small towns and big villages with the significant Muslim populations, the Burmese Muslim youths organize the singing teams called Jago (in Urdu and Hindi) meanings, wakeup. Jago teams usually do not have any musical instruments except for some playing harmonica mouth organs. They go around at the early hours of the morning, to wake up the fellow Muslims for Sahur (pre-dawn meal) before fasting.
They take the tunes of popular Hundi movie songs and replaced with Burmese lyrics and words about Fasting, do and don’ts in Islam and about the benefits of Namaz or Salaat. These songs could be called Qawwali. The children and even the adults like to listen to them and sometimes invited them for food.
Sometimes those Jago group went around visiting the Muslim houses on the Eid day. Many people welcome them, treat with foods and donate for the team with Eidi or Duit Raya.
In small villages and towns with few Muslims, the neighbours wake up each other or sometimes paid someone to go round waking up the Muslims.
One of that Jago Wake up group from Mandalay's Chan Aye Thar Zan (East, Mid and West quarters), started in 1947, grow bigger to become a big organization for general broad welfare called Neikban Zaw Welfare Organization.
Although Eid ul-Fitr is not a public holiday in Myanmar, most employers have an understanding and are usually willing to give an unrecorded holiday to the Muslim staff. They even used to take time off during the office hour to visit their Muslim staff, usually accompanied by other non-Muslim staff under them.
As there is no single Islamic authority in Myanmar to give a decision, it is sometimes difficult to get an agreement about the sighting of the moon for the Eid or the start of Ramadan. So even in a small town or a village, Eid could be celebrated on different days. So it is difficult for the successive governments to declare a holiday on Eid ul-Fitr.
However, the Eid al-Adha "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a public holiday. Burmese Muslims can celebrate it, as this annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for one day only in Myanmar. It is easy for the Myanmar governments to declare a holiday because sighting of the moon is ten day's earlier and the Eid al-Adha could be celebrate for three days. Usually they fixed the date following the Saudi authorities as Haj is more important.
Burmese Muslims recite the Takbir during the prayers at mosques, not loudly, all throughout the three day period of Eid.
Burmese Muslims are from Hanafi sect of Sunni Islam. So they perform Eid Salaah as Wajib (necessary and therefore to deliberately miss them is a sin) Namaz (Salaah) two rakaʿāt with six extra Takbirs only.
During Eid, the traditional greeting is giving Salaam only or sometimes saying Eid Mubarak. They say Assalamualaikum from the mouth and put the right hand on the forehead as if giving a salute, but usually there is no shaking hands and rarely only includes a formal embrace.
Gifts or foods are frequently given to the elder relatives and even non-Muslim bosses and authorities, new clothes are traditionally meant for the family members and the workers or staff only, but Burmese Muslims elders used to give Eidi to all the children.
Children used to get more from their parents, quite a lot from the wealthy near relatives and friends but at least a token sum of small amount of money even from the strangers especially if they go around the neighborhood in groups purposely just to collect Eidi.
It is common for children and young people to go around giving "salaam" to parents, elder relatives and other elders in the neighborhood. During the Eid, Burmese Muslims used to ask forgiveness from elders and try to forgive and forget the misunderstandings amongst each other. Asking for forgiveness is usually done to the parents and elders.
The following Burmese foods are usually cooked for the Eid:
1. Burmese Muslims bake the Sa-Nwin-Ma-Kin or Burmese Semolina Cake or Semolina Pudding or (Kuih) Sooji, using Sooji (semolina), eggs, cream of wheat (semolina), coconut cream, sugar, raisins and milk. It is topped with sesame seeds and baked using a slow charcoal fire above and below to made them like brownie golden cakes.
2. This is also made as a delicacies called Halwa (In Myanmar this is referred to a loose form, something like mashed potato) without baking into a hard or firmer cake.
3. Danbauk (Burmese pronunciation: [dan pauʔ]) Htamin or Burmese biryani, a Burmese-style biryani with either chicken or mutton served with mango pickle, fresh mint and green chili. It is also a favorite food cooked during Eid. Popular ingredients are cashew nuts, yogurt, raisins and peas, chicken, cloves, cinnamon, saffron and bay leaf. In Burmese biryani, the chicken is cooked with the rice.[20] Biryani is also eaten with a salad of sliced onions and cucumber.
4. Htawbat htamin, rice made with butter and mostly eaten with chicken curry.
5. Mohinga, rice vermicelli in fish soup
6. Lahpet, fermented or pickled tea
7. Various types of Khow suey, Myanmarese Khow Suey - Indian style,[21] are famous.
8. Panthay khao swè [panθei kʰauʔ swɛ], halal noodles with chicken and spices, often served by Chinese Muslims
9. Ohn-no khao swè [ounnouʔ kʰauʔswɛ], curried chicken and wheat noodles in a coconut milk broth similar to Malaysian laksa and Chiang Mai's khao soi.
10. Seejet khao swè [sʰi tʃʰɛʔ kʰauʔ swɛ], wheat noodles with duck or pork, fried garlic oil, soy sauce and chopped spring onions
11. Jin thohk [dʒin θouʔ], ginger salad with sesame seeds
12. Jarzan hin, [dʒazan hin] glass noodle soup with chicken, wood-ear mushrooms, dried flowers, onions, boiled egg, garnished with coriander, thin-sliced onions, crushed dried chilli and a dash of lime (Mandalay).
13. Jauk-kyaw [tʃaoʔtʃau], agar jelly usually set in two layers with coconut milk.
14. Montletsaung [moun̰leʔsʰaun], tapioca balls, glutinous rice, grated coconut and toasted sesame with jaggery syrup in coconut milk
15. Samusa [sʰa mu sʰa̰]), Myanmarese-style samosa with mutton and onions served with fresh mint, green chilli, onions and lime
16. Samusa thohk [sʰa mu sʰa̰ θouʔ], samosa salad with onions, cabbage, fresh mint, potato curry, masala, chili powder, salt and lime.
17. Shai Mai or Sa Wai or sayviah/sweet vermicelli served with fried cashews, coconut shreds, raisins with milk is the main traditional food cooked during the Eids.
Sometimes Burmese Muslims pray or perform Eid salah (called Eid Namaz) at Eidgah or Idgah at the open spaces outside or in the cities. Usually Burmese Muslim women are not allowed'to pray together at the Masjids or Eidgah.
Traditionally, Burmese Muslims women are also not allowed to enter the graveyards.
Burmese Muslims are usually forbidden by the religious authorities from decorating their homes with lights, lamps or colourful electric bulbs. Both the children and the adults are also advised by the religious elders not to celebrate with the fireworks and firecrackers. Wishing friends and relatives with the Eid cards or sending Eid cards through internet is just a newly acquired tradition.
Philippines
The Philippines, with a majority Christian population, has recognized Eid ul-Fitr as a regular holiday by virtue of Republic Act No. 9177 and signed on November 13, 2002. The law was enacted in deference to the Muslim-Filipino community and to promote peace among major religions in the Philippines. The first public holiday was set on December 6, 2002, and President Noynoy Aquino issued a Proclamation declaring Eid ul-Fitr as a special non-working holiday in the entire country on 10 September 2010.
People's Republic of China
In the People's Republic of China, out of 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by 10 ethnic groups that practice Islam, totaling 18 million according to official statistics. It is also a public holiday in China in certain regions, including two province prefecture level regions, Ningxia and Xinjiang. All residents in these areas are entitled of either a one-day or three-day holiday. Whereas outside the Muslim regions, only Muslims have a one-day holiday. In Xinjiang particularly, Eid ul-Fitr is even celebrated by Han Chinese population during which holiday supply such as mutton and beef is distributed to households as part of welfare scheme by government agencies, public and private institutions or businesses.
In the Yunnan province, Muslims are spread throughout the region. On Eid ul-Fitr, however, they travel to Sayyid 'Ajjal's grave, after their communal prayers. First there are readings from the Qur'an, then the tomb is cleaned (reminiscent of the historic annual Chinese Qingming festival in which people go their ancestors' graves, sweep and clean the area and then make food offerings).
Finally the accomplishments of the Sayyid 'Ajall are told. In conclusion, a special service is held to honor the hundreds of thousands of Muslims killed during the Qing Dynasty, and the hundreds killed during the Cultural Revolution.
Africa
In Africa, Eid is celebrated by many people, especially in North Africa where Islam is practised by most people.
Tunisia
Tunisia sees three to four days of celebration, with preparations starting several days earlier. Special biscuits are made to give to friends and relatives on the day, including "Baklawa" (Baklava) and several kinds of "kaak". Men will go to the mosque early in the morning, while the women either go with them or prepare their children with new outfits and toys to celebrate as well as a big family lunch generally in parents house. During the daylight hours, there is dancing and music. There are feasts going all day long, and many gifts are a large part of tradition. Also, food is the center of this holiday, so this is one of the hightlights of the evening.
South Africa
In Cape Town, hundreds of people gather at Green Point for the sighting of the moon on the last day of Ramadan each year. The gathering brings together people from all walks of life, and everyone comes with something to share with others at the time of breaking the fast. The Magrib prayer is then conducted and the sighting of the moon is announced thereafter.
The Day of Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by first attending the mosque for Eid prayer. This is followed by visiting neighbours and family. Children receive presents and money from elder members of the family, relatives and neighbours. Most people wear new clothes with bright colours, while biscuits, cakes, samoosas, pies and tarts are presented to visitors as treats. Lunch is usually served in large family groups.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a secular environment. Therefore, as Muslims celebrate the festival, Christians also participate. the Eid is popularly known as "Small Sallah" and people generally greet each other with "Barka Da Sallah" which means greetings on sallah in the Hausa language. People celebrate by observing the Eid prayer at designated praying grounds and then retire home to eat meals prepared by the women. The Federal holiday typically lasts for two days in Nigeria. Nigerians travel to their respective hometowns irrespective of their religions during this Sallah especially if the holiday is continuous with a weekend.
In the Gregorian calendar
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 calender 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 dates below give for various years the first full Gregorian day of the Eid, as estimated for the United States. For the dates marked with an asterisk, the Eid may begin one day earlier in several other countries.
2009: 20 September
2010: 10 September
2011: 31 August*
2012: 19 August*
2013: 9 August*
2014: 29 July*
2015: 18 July*
Source: Wikipedia.org
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