Eid al-Fitr is a special day during the month of Ramadan. It marks the end of the fast for the faithful. Date, meaning, traditions and recipes of Eid el-Fitr… We take stock of this Muslim holiday.
I’Eid al-Fitr is a day of celebration for Muslims around the world. It takes place during the month of Ramadan, precisely the last day of the holy month. The faithful generally spend it with the whole family and with friends around a festive and hearty meal to mark the end of the fast. It is a celebration above all synonymous with rejoicing, during which certain traditions and religious obligations are also honored. Date, sequence, meaning… Here is the information you need to know about Eid el-Fitr.
What is the meaning of Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr, also called “Aid el-Seghir” for “little party”, marks the breaking of the fast and the end of the month of Ramadan. Unlike the previous thirty days of deprivation, the faithful are invited to eat on this day. Eid al-Fitr is in itself a day of joy and rejoicing that the faithful experience as a time conducive to sharing and communion.
When is Eid al-Fitr in 2023?
The date of theEid al-Fitr is estimated this year on Friday 21 April 2023. This festival occurs on the first day of the 10th lunar month Chawal. The official date will be known during the Night of Doubt. It is on this occasion that the Muslim religious authorities observe the crescent moon in the sky to fix the dates of Ramadan whoseEid al-Fitr.
The day of Eid al-Fitr begins early in the morning with a hearty breakfast, before going to the Mosque for a prayer specific and collective. Men and women gather to pray and then listen to the imam’s sermon. The faithful also take advantage of this to pay alms for breaking the fast, known as Zakat al-Fitr. In theory, Zakat should be four times the content of two hands put together and filled with food. After the prayer time, Muslims visit their loved ones to wish them their Eid greetings.
What are the traditions of Eid al-Fitr?
Several traditions surround Eid al-Fitr. For breakfast, since it is the end of a month-long fast, practitioners gather around a festive meal, gourmet and traditionally sweet. It is even customary to treat yourself to sweet, honeyed and other delicacies. To welcome guests, the houses are thoroughly cleaned beforehand.
For this festive day, traditional clothes, caftans and djellabas, are given pride of place. This is an opportunity to pay attention to your look, with the wearing of new clothes specially purchased for the event. Moreover, children are not left out either, since tradition also dictates that gifts are given on this day. The distribution of gifts to the youngest holds an important place.
What to do on Eid al-Fitr?
On the day of Eid al-Fitr, we prepare oriental cakes and sweets for D-Day. Some faithful also take the opportunity to make their homes clean and welcoming. This celebration is also conducive to moments of sharing, ideal for rekindling family and friendly ties. Families also usually spend time with the children to walk around and play with some of the gifts that have been given.
What are the traditional cakes for Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr celebration is also nicknamed “sweet party”, because it gives pride of place to oriental pastries. Here are the culinary specialties that mark the end of the month of Ramadan:
How to wish a happy Eid al-Fitr holiday?
On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr it is customary to address His wishes to relatives and even to the greatest number, practicing or not, hoping that God accepts their fasts and prayers, or that He forgives sins and grants paradise. More classically, we wish each other good health, saying “Aïd Mubarak”, Aïd el-Fitr Mubarak (or “Aïd Mabrouk”), that is to say a good Eid celebration.