At the end of Ramadan,
Muslims throughout the world observe a joyous three-day celebration called Eid
al-Fitr.
It is a time of joy and thanksgiving, celebrated with family
and friends on the completion of a month of fasting and spiritual development.
Eid al-Fitr is expected to be between Wednesday 8th September and Friday 10th
September 2010. The exact date of
Eid-al-Fitr, and other Islamic holidays, is determined by the sighting of the
new moon and may vary across the world according to location. Muslims in most countries rely on news
of an official sighting rather than looking at the sky themselves.
On the day of Eid, Muslims gather early in the morning in
mosques, halls or outdoor locations (such as Spinney Hill Park) to perform the Eid
prayer. This consists of a sermon followed by a short congregational prayer.
After the Eid prayer, Muslims usually visit family and
friends, give gifts (especially to children) and contact distant relatives to
wish them well. While appropriate
words in any language are used, there are some traditional or common Arabic
greetings such as:
-
"Eid Mubarak!" ("Blessed Eid!")
-
“Eid Saeed!" ("Happy Eid!")
-
"Kul aam wa entum bi-khair!" ("May every year find you in good
health!").
Before the day of Eid, during the last few days of Ramadan,
each Muslim family gives a determined amount as a donation to the poor to
ensure that the needy can have a holiday meal and participate in the
celebration. This donation is known as sadaqah al-fitr (charity of
fast-breaking).
