AID 2022. The feast of breaking the fast of Ramadan or “Eid el-Fitr” is approaching. Its date must be announced at the end of the lunar observation of the “night of doubt” organized at the Grand Mosque of Paris this Saturday. Linternaute.com takes stock.
[Mis à jour le 30 avril 2022 à 10h] When is the end of Ramadan celebration this year? Already estimated by astronomical calculations as Monday May 2, 2022, the date has already been confirmed by the CFCM (main representative body of Islam in France) on this scientific basis, via a press release published in mid-March. . But an additional method exists to determine the end date (as well as the start date) of Ramadan: the date of Eid el-Fitr must be validated by the traditional lunar observation of the “night of doubt”, associated with the calculations astronomical, this Saturday evening at the Great Mosque of Paris. Said “night of doubt” takes place on the 29th day of the month of Ramadan 1443 from moon calendar Muslim. If the crescent Moon is discernible in the sky with the naked eye, Ramadan lasts 29 days and the month of Shawwal (month following Ramadan) begins the next day. If we cannot see the crescent of the new Moon with the naked eye, the month of Ramadan lasts 30 days and the new month does not begin until the next day.
Eid al-Fitr takes place on the 1st day of the month of Shawwal. For the Hijri year 1443 (current year in the Muslim lunar calendar), the 1st day of Shawwal should correspond to Monday, May 2, 2022 according to astronomical calculations. The theological commission present at the Great Mosque of Paris this Saturday evening will probably confirm this date of Eid el-Fitr.
The date of Eid al-Fitr already communicated last March
To summarize the decisions taken in recent months, the CFCM, the main representative body of Muslims in France, had confirmed the theoretical dates of Ramadan based on astronomical calculations via a press release on March 13, quoted by franceinfo. The Great Mosque of Paris has well and truly established a Night of Doubt to record the dates of Ramadan, which did not prevent the coordination made up of the four Muslim federations (FFAIACA, GMP, MF and RMF) dissidents from the CFCM, associated with the Great Mosque of Paris, from announcing in a statement March 15, the estimated date of the end of the blessed month, Eid el-Fitr.
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. The duration of this lunar month, which can be spread over 29 days, is therefore not officially fixed for the moment. In fact, the CFCM had affirmed that it would last this year 30 days from the calculations of the crescent of Shawwal for the year 1443 AH: “Precise astronomical calculations confirm that the conjunction will take place on April 29, 2022 at 23:28 GMT. The month of Ramadan will therefore last for thirty days. But the announcement of the Grand Mosque of Paris on April 26 causes uncertainty. During the night of doubt this Saturday, April 30, the Theological Commission will have to determine the duration of this lunar month.
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 of 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 “night of the announcement” of lunar observation on April 30, the official end date of Ramadan will be confirmed. This very special night is organized by the Great Mosque of Paris and a dissident coordination of the CFCM on the evening of the 29th day of the month of Ramadan. On this occasion, the religious commission traditionally confirms 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 takes 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”, Aïd 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, children and babies included. 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”.