1. Eid is celebrated after a month of fasting called Ramadan
Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr after a month of fasting known as Ramadan. During Ramadan healthy adult Muslims don’t eat or drink from dawn to dusk. At the end of this month the festival Eid ul-Fitr begins.
2. The date Eid is celebrated is based on the Moon
The Eid date is usually declared on the 29th day of the previous month when the moon is a present. However, if the Moon cannot be seen then Eid is celebrated on the following day.
3. Eid ul-Fitr lasts 3 days
During the 3 days Muslims will visit their family, eat special foods and give children gifts and money.
4. Eid means festival in Arabic
Eid can be translated as festival or feast. It is called this because it marks the end of the fast of Ramadan with food and festivities.
5. Eid traditions include eating dates
Like many religious festivals Eid has its own traditions. These include eating dates and going to the Mosque for prayers. After praying at the Mosque it is a tradition to take a different route home to the one you took there – this is so you can spread your joy to more people.
6. Eid is celebrated by 1.8 billion people
It is estimated that more than 1.8 billion Muslims celebrate Eid each year making it one of the biggest religious festivals in the world.
7. Eid ul-Fitr is different to Eid ul-Adha
Eid is celebrated twice a year. The first Eid is Eid ul-Fitr which we are talking about in this Top 10 Facts. The second is Eid ul-Adha which is celebrated at the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
8. The history of Eid goes back to the prophet Muhammad
In the Quran it is written that Muhammed got his first revelation during ramadan. When he arrived in Mecca after the revelation people were celebrated with feasts, this became Eid ul-Fitr.
9. People greet each other during Eid by saying Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak means ‘Happy Eid’ or ‘Blessed Eid’.
10. Eid ul-Fitr is known by different names all over the world
You will see Eid ul-Fitr also spelt Eid al-Fitr but did you know that it is also known as different things in different languages. It is called ‘Ramazan Bairami’ in Azerbaijan, ‘Lebaran’ in Indonesia, ‘Korite’ in Senegal, ‘Hari Raya Puasa’ in Malaysia.