Written by Jonathan Marriage, Research Officer
The sighting of the crescent moon on Thursday, 20th April 2023 marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr for Muslims across the world. Eid al-Fitr, which translates to “the festival of breaking the fast”, is a major event in the Islamic calendar, one that marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar.
The festival is an opportunity for Muslims from around the world to commemorate the completion of the month of the Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and strengthen their spiritual connection to Allah, by spending time with their family and loved ones. On the first day of Eid, Muslims from across the world join in congregation to perform the Eid prayer and give thanks to Allah. This is followed by festivities, family gatherings and feasts, which sometimes take place over as many as five days. As a day of celebration, worship and community, the global Muslim diaspora celebrate in different ways according to their local traditions and cultural practices.
In Saudi Arabia, the home of Makkah and Madinah, Muslims travel from around the world to celebrate Eid. Wearing new clothing, for both men and women, is a central aspect of Eid celebrations in Saudi Arabia. During the latter stages of Ramadan, clothing stores open for extended hours to satisfy the demand of thousands of shoppers who want a new outfit for the planned festivities and gatherings. This custom isn’t exclusive to Saudi Arabia; in Nigeria purchasing custom clothing tailored for Eid celebrations is an important part of the festivities. Indeed, it is tradition in some cultures that if a woman is unmarried and still living at her parent’s home, it is the father’s duty to purchase fabric for everyone in the household during the first week of Ramadan, with this duty falling on the husband if the woman is married.
The sharing of food, especially sweets, is another important part of Eid celebrations. In Turkey, Eid is sometimes known as Ramazan Byrami (Ramadan festival) or Seker Bayrami (sugar festival). Sharing sweet dishes, like baklava and kadayif, is a central aspect of Turkish Eid celebrations; family members and friends are offered sweet treats when visiting one another after Eid prayers and it is traditional for children to go around their neighbourhood and be gifted with sweets and chocolates upon greeting their neighbours and wishing them a “Happy Bayram”. The tradition of sharing sweet dishes also extends across Eid celebrations in many other countries, including Ma’amoul in Morocco, Kleichas in Iraq and Saudi Arabia and Lapis Legit in Indonesia: a sugary, thousand-layered cake that symbolises the sweet, rich layers of life.
Known as Lebaran in Indonesia, Eid is the most significant holiday in the Indonesian calendar. During this period, people who live in the cities – around 123 million people – travel back to their hometowns to celebrate Eid, a tradition that is called Mudik. This year’s Mudik was particularly busy with it being the first Eid without travel restrictions since the pandemic. Following morning prayers, it is traditional for people in Indonesia to visit their family, friends and neighbours to share food and drink and to ask for forgiveness for any wrong they have committed in the previous year – a custom that is known as Halal Bihalal. Traditional food items at gatherings are likely to include ketupat, opor and lapis legit,
Eid continues to be celebrated in many Muslim-minority countries where it is not a national holiday. In countries like Iceland, during Ramadan, Muslims face the unique challenge of 22 hours of daylight. Muslims do have the choice to break their fast based on the timings of sunrise and sunset from the nearest country, or Saudi Arabia, however, many choose to stick to the long fasting hours. These longer fasting hours can make Eid celebrations extra special for those who have fasted during the Ramadan period. Extended hours can lead to heightened appreciation and a deep spiritual connection, in turn making it a deeply meaningful and memorable occasion for those who have fasted during this sacred month.
Sources:
https://www.muslimaid.org/what-we-do/religious-dues/ramadan/eid-ul-fitr/
https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/islamic-giving/ramadan/eid-al-fitr/
https://blog.halalbooking.com/en/celebrating-eid-al-fitr-around-the-world/
https://www.zameen.com/blog/eid-celebrations-around-world.html#Turkey
https://www.essence.com/africa/eid-al-fitr-fashion-northern-nigeria/