AID 2022. The day after the last day of Ramadan takes place the very emblematic celebration of Eid al-Fitr for Muslims. The Grand Mosque of Paris announced its date in a press release.
[Mis à jour le 17 mars 2022 à 17h30] Eid al-Fitr is, for practicing Muslims, the celebration of the end of Ramadan, also called the feast of the “breaking of the fast”. The CFCM, the main representative body of Muslims in France, confirmed the theoretical dates of Ramadan based on astronomical calculations via a press release on March 13, quoted by franceinfo. While the Great Mosque of Paris has fixed a Night of Doubt to record the date of the first day of Ramadan, the coordination made up of the four Muslim federations (FFAIACA, GMP, MF and RMF) notably announced in a statement March 15 the date of the end of the blessed month. What is it then?
This year, the end date of Ramadan, and therefore of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, is fixed (theoretically, by astronomical calculations) on Monday, May 2, 2022. As for the “Night of Doubt”, i.e. the night of the “announcement” of the end of Ramadan which must formalize this date, it will take place on Sunday May 1, 2022. Each year, the decision of the end date of Ramadan is taken according to a very specific process: it is , from 6:30 p.m. of this night of doubt, to probe the possibility of seeing the new moon or not on the 29th day of the month of Ramadan.
Eid el-Fitr combines prayers and festive family meals. Devotees also give zakat al-fitr, alms. Usually, gymnasiums, stadiums and other public places are mobilized in addition to mosques for the organization of prayer. This year again, this type of gathering is arranged because of the Covid health crisis.
* Current year in the Hijri calendar
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan: its date is actually that of the first of the month following that of Ramadan. Said date is determined by the traditional lunar observation of the “Night of Doubt” / “Night of Announcement”, as is the case for each end of the month of the Muslim lunar calendar. In the “Hijri” calendar, the name of the Muslim lunar calendar, the Ramadan fast lasts a full lunar month. This lunar month, which can span 29 days, will last this year 30 days : the CFCM details this information for us: “Precise astronomical calculations confirm that the conjunction will take place on Saturday April 29, 2022 at 11:28 p.m. GMT. The month of Ramadan will therefore be spread over thirty days”. These calculations are for the crescent of Shawwal for the year 1443 AH.
For the dissident federations of the CFCM (main representative body of Islam in France) and the Great Mosque, as well as for a whole section of believers (there are two schools), the end date of Ramadan can only be confirmed at the end of a “Night of Doubt” traditionally dedicated to the observation of the crescent Moon. Usually, it is the CFCM (French Council of the Muslim Worship) which formalizes D-Day, after consulting astronomical data, the date of Eid el-Fitr, via a press release published on the Twitter account of the Grand Mosque. from Paris. Following the dissensions that agitated the CFCM, the body is no longer necessarily invited to the Grand Mosque of Paris for the announcements of the start and end dates of Ramadan, yet also based on astronomical data. This year, however, the CFCM did not wish to remain in the background of the announcement of the dates for the month of Ramadan.
At the end of the “night of doubt” alias “announcement night“Lunar observation of April 1, the official date of the end of Ramadan will be confirmed. This very special night is organized by a dissident coordination of the CFCM on the evening of the 29th day of the month of Ramadan. On this occasion, the religious commission confirmed traditionally the end date of Ramadan, and, de facto, that of Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the breaking of the fast the next day. In general, if she takes note of the possibility of observing the crescent new moon in the sky before the next day, Eid al-Fitr will take place the next day. Otherwise, the celebration is held a day later.
Eid al-Fitr celebration: what are its traditions?
Also called “Aïd el-Seghir”, Eid el-Fitr then means “little party” in French (“Fitr” meaning “to eat, to have lunch” in Arabic). Feast of forgiveness and peace, it can last up to three days. Tradition has it that on this occasion, the practitioner pays zakat (alms for the poorest), which represents the gift of four times the content of two joined hands of food. Six additional days of fasting are traditionally practiced after the “breaking feast” that is Eid el-Fitr: “the six days of chawwal”, named after the month following that of Ramadan in the “Hijri” calendar ( name of the Muslim calendar).
But beware, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr is not “just” a way to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It also symbolizes, for Muslim communities around the world, a great moment of sharing, peace and joy. Concretely, the feast of Eid el-Fitr is thus the occasion, usually, of great family meals, gifts, visits to relatives… During the festivities, Muslims also mutually exchange the wish of “Eid Mubarak”, “Happy Eid Day” in French. Finally, Eid al-Fitr is also called “sweet feast”. She therefore gives pride of place to desserts, once the morning prayer is over. Ftour, zlabia, gazelle horns or even chebakia, without forgetting the dates stuffed with marzipan… All these foodstuffs will be tasted for this celebration.
Eid al-Fitr is all the more key for Muslims as it marks the end of the “holy month of Ramadan”:
Before the Eid prayer, Muslims must have given Zakât al-fitr, almsgiving at the end of Ramadan. This can be offered in food or money for people in need. Indeed, to validate the efforts made during Ramadan, every believing Muslim must pay alms to the needy, as a mark of solidarity. The “zakat al-Fitr” indeed allows those who are in need to celebrate the Eid holiday like any Muslim, without having to beg on that day. Recently, the authorities representing the Muslim faith in France set the amount of this alms at 7 euros per person. The person responsible for the family must pay it by paying it for each member of the family for whom he is responsible, including children and babies. A family of 5 with 3 children, even young children, must therefore pay the sum of 35 euros for the end of this Ramadan, in order to “purify” the fast.
What is the Eid al-Fitr prayer?
Eid al-Fitr day is also special because his morning prayer which is specific. According to the specialized site Al Kanz, this morning prayer of Eid el-Fitr theoretically takes place when the sun “rises above the horizon the length of a spear” (about three meters). In practice, the mosques set the time for collective prayer themselves. Eid al-Fitr is first and foremost a spiritually important day. It allows you to come back to learn the lessons of this month of fasting, to take stock of the good or bad deeds accomplished.
How to wish Eid al-Fitr? What happy birthday messages to favor? The specialized site Assabile.com offers different formulas to Muslims and non-Muslims to wish each other a happy Eid el-Fitr feast at the end of the holy month of fasting for the faithful. Here is a selection of those messages:
- “Eid Mubarak Said”
- “Eid Mubarak Said, may God accept your fasting and your prayers”.
- “Eid Mubarak Said to you and all your family, may God bless you and grant your dearest wishes”.
- “Eid Mubarak, best wishes for health and happiness”.