What is Eid al-Fitr? How Muslims Celebrate at the End of Ramadan
![Eid mubarak with moon](https://ideas.hallmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1891_ii_Eid.jpg)
Muslims all over the world start the first day of Shawwal, the tenth lunar month, by offering zakat (alms) and a pre-dawn salat (prayer). And with that, the sunup to sundown, month-long Ramadan fast ends and the Eid al-Fitr celebration begins.
Inspired? Create and share by tagging @HallmarkStores.
The meaning of Eid al-Fitr
“The holiday is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a time where we are in worship and we give to charity. It is a time for renewal of the spirit, of my faith, of my connection to Allah—the Arabic word for God—and to the community.” —Mahnaz Shabbir, diversity speaker and consultant, Shabbir Advisors
Eid al-Fitr (pronounced eed uhl-FEE-truh) means “the Festival (or Feast) of Breaking the Fast.” Celebrated for a day or three (it varies around the world), Eid al-Fitr is a time for giving thanks to Allah, expressing joy for blessings, letting go of ill will and bad feelings, and welcoming others with open arms.
Muslims greet each other with “Eid Mubarak,” which translates to “Blessed Festival,” “Blessed Feast” or “Blessed Celebration” (less literally, it’s a wish for a happy Eid).
There are different ways to respond when someone says “Eid Mubarak,” to you depending on your part of the world:
- “Khair Mubarak” is a wish for goodwill, and is the response used most often.
- “Jazak Allah Khair” means “May Allah reward you with goodness.”
- “Taqaballahu minna wa minkum” means “May Allah accept it from you and us.” “It” can mean good deeds, worship, fasting—essentially, the spiritual commitment, good deeds and sacrifices made during Ramadan.
- You can also respond simply with “Eid Mubarak to you.”
“Another Eid tradition is to receive and send Eid cards to family that don’t live close. I send my cards roughly 20 days before Eid so the recipients have at least a week or more to proudly display all the cards they have received from family, friends and loved ones.” —Sam Lodhi, Hallmark manager
Find cards for Eid al-Fitr on Hallmark.com
Ways Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr
There are nearly two billion people in the world who follow Islam and the teachings of its holy book, the Qu’ran. And there are as many ways to observe Eid al-Fitr as there are countries where it’s celebrated.
“I love Eid prayers because it’s like a mini–United Nations of people wearing various ethnic clothing and speaking various languages—and then we come together to do the Eid prayer in Arabic.” —Mahnaz Shabbir
Rituals include:
- Paying Zakat al-Fitr, donations given by families who have enough money so those without can afford to celebrate Eid al-Fitr
- Offering Eid prayers as a community, in open spaces
- Cleaning up and dressing in your best or new clothing
- Visiting loved ones to eat, celebrate and exchange gifts
- Enjoying sweets—Eid al-Fitr is sometimes called “Sugar Fest”
- Sending Eid al-Fitr cards to loved ones
“On Eid day we wear new clothes, new shoes and new socks. In the morning we all shower and get ready to go to mosque to offer Eid prayers. After that I remember our friends and family invite us to come and have food with them. I remember sometimes after prayer going to four or five different homes to celebrate Eid with them. By the time we got home it was time to go to bed.” —Seema Ahmed, proud Naano (grandmother)
“On the day of Eid, we wake up in the morning, put on new clothes we bought specially for Eid and get ready for the Eid prayers. The prayers last about 45 minutes, at the end of which we greet our relatives and friends by hugging each other three times from side to side, shaking their hands and greeting them with ‘Eid Mubarak.’ When we get home from Eid prayers, I always make seven-layer parathas (basically a made-from-scratch fried tortilla) and fried eggs with black tea for all my kids for breakfast (a Lodhi family favorite). This is something my mom did ever since we were kids. I usually have multiple sweets like creamy vermicellis, rice pudding, cookies and hot tea ready for our guests who come to our home. For my family in Pakistan—especially my elders—I call and greet them personally and receive their blessings.” —Sam Lodhi
What are the two Eid festivals?
Islamic traditions include two holy celebrations called Eid:
- Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, takes place after the Hajj pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, beginning on the 10th day of the 12th lunar month, Dhu al-Hijjah, and lasting four days. Eid al-Adha commemorates Allah’s test of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham): Ibrahim was prepared to sacrifice his firstborn son as commanded, but at the last minute, Allah told him to sacrifice an animal instead.
- Eid al-Fitr, the Feast of Breaking the Fast, takes place after the Ramadan fast beginning on the first day of the tenth lunar month, Shawwal, and lasting three days. Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the Qu’ran by Allah—speaking through the angel Gabriel—to the Prophet Mohammed.
“It really is such a happy feeling to accomplish the fasting in Ramadan and pray that we are still alive to be there next year and be in community.” —Mahnaz Shabbir
Shop Eid al-Fitr
See allYou may also like
See more-
Christmas Sweet dreams, Santa!
Catch Santa napping on the job with this Snoring Santa Keepsake Ornament featuring sound and motion. With every snore...
-
Kwanzaa What is Kwanzaa?
What is Kwanzaa? A festival of lights rich in African symbolism, it takes place each year from December 26th through ...
-
Christmas Advent calendar activities for adventurous families
It’s time to start the countdown. Maybe it’s about being mindful…or counting your blessings…or preempting your kids a...
-
Summer Ways to celebrate Juneteenth
While Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, this pivotal moment in history has been cele...
-
Christmas Christmas and Kwanzaa: Keeping family holiday traditions and finding your own
Whether you’re single or starting a family, religious or agnostic, someone who celebrates Christmas and Kwanzaa or ju...
-
Halloween Make ghosts and goblins feel right at home this Halloween
Light up your home with haunting Halloween seasonal decor. 🎃👻 Shop now at Hallmark Gold Crown stores or at Hallmark.com.
-
Halloween No scaredy cats around here!
When this black cat crosses your path, you know fun can't be far behind. 😻 🧙♀️ Shop the Zip-A-Long Cat in Hallmark G...
-
Halloween While you’re waiting for The Great Pumpkin this Halloween…
Fly around the pumpkin patch with Zip-a-long Snoopy! 🎃 Shop more frightening finds in Hallmark Gold Crown stores and ...
-
Halloween Light up the night with frightful fun!
Could it be? Could it be!? Yes it is! It’s the Peanuts® Snoopy and Woodstock Halloween figurine! 🎃 🐶 Find it and more...
-
Halloween Where cozy meets mischief and magic
Make some magic this Halloween with this Hocus Pocus hooded blanket. 🧙♀️👻Find more Halloween essentials in Hallmark ...
-
Gifting Relive a favorite from your childhood!
Fill your home with a few small joys inspired by Disney’s “It’s a Small World” 🩵🎎 Shop the collection at Hallmark Gol...
-
Halloween Which house will you be sorted into?
The Harry Potter™ Sorting Hat™ Mug plays sound whenever you lift the lid. Find this chatty mug in Hallmark Gold Crown...
-
Encouragement How to support caregivers
It’s often hard to know how to support a caregiver. Most caregiving checklists out there hit the major topics like me...
-
Love 50 different ways to say I love you
You don’t need to wait for a special occasion to remind that certain someone how much he or she is loved. Spice up yo...
-
Graduation 15 graduation quotes
Celebrate your favorite grad’s milestone with the wit and wisdom of Hallmark writers, fans and others. We’ve rounded ...
-
Congratulations How to congratulate someone
Congratulating others is easy and fun, right? Like when your friend worked really hard and got that awesome job makin...
-
Care & Concern Be more caring with a kindness journal
It's obvious the world could use more kindness. So this year, why not make "be more caring" your number one resolutio...
-
Fall Día de Muertos: A celebration of life and love
Día de Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a holiday originally celebrated in the southern and central parts of Mexico and i...
-
Card Ideas Card messages for kids: What to write in a kid’s holiday card and more
My 3-year-old was having a hard time at preschool drop-off. Dragging his feet. Asking to stay home. This went on a fe...
-
Christmas 6 Creative Christmas Card Display Ideas
Holiday card season is here: Our mailboxes are about to fill up with festive envelopes with pretty stamps and familia...