Eid al-Fitr is a special day for Muslims around the world. Muslims celebrate this blessed day after a month of fasting during Ramadan. It is actually a month that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is usually celebrated during the first three days of Shawwal – the 10th month of Hijri. Muslims begin the celebration by praying in the morning – usually gathering in open spaces such as fields or mosques and praying together.
History
The history of Eid al-Fitr cannot be separated from the holy month Ramadan. As a Muslim, it is clearly written in the Al-Quran that all Muslims must do fasting a whole month as the dedication of them to Allah. As one of the blessing given by Allah, the Shawwal—the month where Eid al-Fitr is celebrated—become the day where all Muslims can enjoy their moment with family, as a celebration for the successful fasting during Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is proven in hadith, quoted from Jabir who quoted from Imam al-Baqir (a) and he (a) quoted from the Prophet (s) saying, “when the first of Shawwal comes, the caller will call ‘O believers! Rush to your rewards in the morning!” He then said, “O Jabir! Rewards of God are not like the rewards of kings.” And he said, “That day is the day of rewards.”
Meaning
Eid al-Fitr can be translated as “the feast of fast-breaking”. Eid means as the feast, festival, holiday in Arabic. The meaning of the word ‘Fitr’ is “opening (of something)” which comes from the same root of تَفَطَّرَت (Tafattarat) and إِفطار (Iftar). As stated above, this day marks the end of the fasting month so it is actually the day when all Muslims are not allowed to fast for a whole day.
Traditions
The traditions vary from country to country. The most common way to start the celebration is to pray together in the morning in the field or in the mosque. After that, it is usually time to gather with the family and eat the special food. Some countries, such as Indonesia, will give a special gift (usually an envelope of money) to families, relatives or even to the neighborhood.
The food is also different based on the traditions of each country. In Indonesia, the popular food is lontong-a long compressed cake in the shape of a cylinder wrapped in a banana leaf. Meanwhile, in the Indian subcontinent, biryani is the main food for Eid. Muslims in China often make the savoury kewaps (long, thin mincemeat patties grilled on skewers). In terms of clothing, Malaysia has a special outfit called the baju raya, which has significant features such as the number of buttons. Some countries also celebrate Eid with a major event such as fireworks or food markets.
