Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating! 
It’s Eid-Ul-Fitr today. One of the biggest festivals in the Muslim world.
Just wanted to share a little about what makes today special for Muslims around the world. As the first day of Shawwal on the Islamic lunar calendar, it marks the joyous celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr! Think of it as a big “hooray!” after a whole month of fasting during Ramadan, from dawn to sunset. It’s a time to be happy, appreciate all the good things in life (thank you, Allah!), and remember those who might not be as fortunate.
Now, depending on when folks spot the moon, some countries are celebrating today, and others will be doing it tomorrow. Wishing all you wonderful people a very Happy Eid, whenever it arrives for you!
Here are some of the lovely traditions that often go along with Eid:
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Eid Prayer: A special morning prayer at the mosque is the usual way to kick off Eid day. After that, it’s common to visit older family members and also head to the cemetery to pray for families who have passed away.
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Getting Ready: Preparing for Eid is a pretty big deal! A fun tradition for many families is buying new clothes to wear on Eid day. Houses often get a festive touch with lanterns and Eid decorations, and girls might put on beautiful henna designs before the day.
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Giving Back: Those who can afford donate food, money, or clothes to people who are less fortunate. Giving Zakat (charity) is something Muslims do throughout the year, but it’s often emphasized even more around Eid.
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Eidi: This is a tradition many of us looked forward to as kids! After the Eid prayers and heading back home, it’s customary to give money as a little gift to the younger ones for Eid.
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Yummy Food! Everyone cooks delicious food for Eid – definitely a highlight for me! It’s a time for family to get together and enjoy a feast of special dishes.
Here in the USA, we might not celebrate it quite as grandly as back home for some, but we still find our own ways to make it special, which is nice too. And hey, this year it falls on a weekend, so that’s extra awesome!
Let’s take a peek at how Eid is celebrated around the world!
@KashifMisidia, from Pakistan shared how they celebrate the day. Here is what he said:
My Eid day begins with Eid prayers, followed by a visit to the graveyard to pray for my loved ones who have passed away, especially my father, whom I miss every day, but even more on special occasions like Eid.
After the prayers, we have a special Eid breakfast because fasting is not allowed on this day. Our breakfast is unique as it includes sweet dishes, matching the name of this Eid, Meethi Eid (Sweet Eid). The most important items on our table are Sheer Khurma and Meethi Siwaiyan, along with other breakfast items.
A Beautiful Tradition
One of our special traditions is buying glass bangles and Mehendi (Henna) for all the women in our family. They wear these on Eid day, and it looks beautiful—especially Mehendi, which is one of the most loved Eid traditions. I still buy Mehendi for my daughters, and they enjoy making beautiful designs on their hands.
This year, my younger daughter, who loved Mehendi, bangles, and flowers, and whom I always took along with great joy to buy these things, is now far away from me in UK. I don’t know how my first Eid without her will feel.
But anyway, life is all about togetherness and distances.
The Joy of Eidi
On this happy occasion, we visit our elders, including grandparents, uncles, and aunts. One of the most fun traditions of Eid-ul-Fitr is “Eidi”, where younger family members ask for gift money from elders without hesitation. Everyone enjoys this, and even at 48 years old, I still ask my elders for Eidi! Of course, I also give Eidi to those younger than me.
Ending the Day
After spending the day meeting relatives and giving Eidi, I usually come home and sleep for a long time. Later in the evening, I meet up with friends.
In Pakistan, we get three official holidays for Eid every year. These routines and traditions have been a part of my life since childhood, and they continue to this day.
@Trishatishu, originally from Bangladesh, currently residing in Japan shared how Eid is like in Japan:
I eagerly wait to sight the moon of Eid. My Eid begins with the iconic Bangladeshi song ‘ও মন রমজানের ঐ রোজার শেষে এলো খুশির ঈদ’- actually it means, at the end of the holy Ramadan fast, a happy Eid has arrived.
Eid ul Fitr for me means offering Eid prayers, seeking blessings from mom, dad and elders, applying henna ( now-a-days not a fan of henna), cooking on the night before Eid, taking and giving Eidi (token of love and blessing through currency), and my eating of Eid sweets on all day/night.
Eid was more easy going, full of fun, joy, happiness in my childhood but now that joy is gone missing because of the workload and responsibilities. When I live in another country and cannot meet all my family on a special day like Eid, then I feel very lonely, exhausted and disturbed. Although I made myself happy with the joy of Eid. Because if I wouldn’t happy, I cannot spread joy and happiness to others. During Ramadan, my mom gifts us new clothes for Eid.
From the 28th-29th ramadan, As a new cook, I had started preparing Eid cooking a little bit. I cook Nawabi Semai, Fuchka, Kebab, Mutton Curry, Vegetable, Biryani. On the morning of Eid, my husband and I offer Eid prayers. Our friends, younger siblings, are also with us. We offer prayers together. We distribute Eidi to the younger ones. We talk to my mother, father and extended family on video calls and ask for their precious blessings. We set our Eid day delicacies. All together got a plan for outing.
Our Bangladeshi community in Japan organizes an Eid get together program. The main thing about our get together is to meet everyone, do luncheon roundtable , do fun activities, highlighting our Bangladeshi cuisine, culture, Moreover, let’s try to strengthen our sense of brotherhood and connectivity, so that in times of good or bad, we all stand by each other. That’s the way is we celebrate our Eid.
@Sagir shared his Eid experience in NIgeria:
Eid celebrations here in Northern Nigeria are significant events being marked by religious, cultural festivities, and a strong sense of community.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. It is a time of great joy and thanksgiving.
Some activities of Eid al-Fitr celebrations in my part of the world include:
1. P rayers: On the morning of Eid, Muslims gather in large open grounds or mosques to perform special Eid prayers. It is common to wear new and beautiful clothes for this occasion, symbolizing joy and happiness.
2. Charity (Zakat al-Fitr): Before the Eid prayers, it is obligatory for every Muslim to pay Zakat al-Fitr, a charitable donation of food items to the needy.
2. Feasting: After the prayers, families and friends come together to celebrate with elaborate meals. Days leading up to Eid often involve preparing special dishes and delicacies. (Attach picture of food here)
3. Greetings and Visitations: People visit relatives, friends, and neighbors, exchanging greetings of “Barka da Sallah” or “Eid Mubarak” (Blessed Eid).
Gifts, especially for children, are often exchanged during these visits, fostering love and harmony.
4. Durbar (Horse Riding): In many Northern Nigerian states, especially those with Emirates (traditional Hausa kingdoms) such as Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zazzau, Bauchi, Bida, Gombe, and Ilorin, the celebration often includes the spectacular Durbar festival (also known as Hawan Sallah, meaning “Mount of Eid”). (Attach picture here)
This is a centuries-old tradition, dating back to when horses were used for warfare. It showcases the rich cultural and equestrian heritage of the region. It involves a grand parade of the Emir (traditional ruler) and his retinue of noblemen, district heads, and thousands of elaborately dressed horse riders. Musicians and artillerymen also form part of the procession. The participants, often from hereditary noble families, display their horsemanship skills and pay homage to the Emir, reaffirming their loyalty. The Durbar is a vibrant and colorful event that attracts large crowds of locals and tourists. (Attach picture here)
These activities usually last for two days and after that people return back to their normal daily lives.
“Barka da Sallah”
We also got to know how Eid is like in Michigan from @Erna_LaBeau
Eid Mubarak!
Eid is a celebration at the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting. It is festive, lots of fun, joy, and a happy celebration.
There are many Muslim communities in Michigan, and the Indonesian community is one of them. Most people visit family or friends or gather together on Eid Day.
We usually celebrate Eid at the park or someone’s home with a BBQ or grilling. Family members bring dishes to pass. On Eid, it is customary to wear new clothes and bring gifts for children. Sometimes, there is also a big festival right after the prayer at the masjid, they provide meals and games for children.
There are lots of Masjid throughout the greater Detroit area. They can be found in every city. Dearborn has one of the largest Muslim populations in Michigan. A lot of businesses downtown decorate with festive lights and in large areas set aside for international food bazaars which are open all month long.
Eid in Indonesia is also fun as we know from @NyaiNurjanah
Typical eid in my zone.
- a day before eid everyone is busy shopping for new clothes or accessories, and shopping for making cookies and food
- Eid prayers in the morning
- after eid meet the neighbors for a handshake and say happy eid, door to doors.
- Go to a family tomb which passes away to remember and pray to them
- the special food for eid is “ketupat” rice wrapped in coconut leaf and boiled for many hours.
- Meet the big family because family members who live and work outside are back to the sweet home for this eid moment.
Local Guide @MahabubMunna, from Bangladesh, shared how Eid is celebrated in the Old Town of Dhaka city, in Bangladesh:
ঈদ মানেই তো আনন্দ আর এই আনন্দ করার জন্য এলাকাভিত্তিক বেশ কিছু নিজস্ব আয়োজন এর স্বকীয়তা থাকে, মোগল আমল থেকেই ঈদ উৎসব পুরান ঢাকায় এক আলাদা আমেজ বা নিজস্ব কালচার তৈরি করে সে যা এখনো বিদ্যমান। সাধারণত দেশবাসী ঈদ আয়োজন শুরু করে ঈদগাহ থেকে তবে পুরনো ঢাকা ঈদ আমেজ টা শুরু হয় চাঁদ রাত থেকে।
ঈদের চাঁদ দেখার পরেই ঘরের রমণীরা শুরু করে পরবর্তী দিনের জন্য নানারকম আয়োজন রান্না করা কিংবা ঘর গোছানো এরপর চলে মেহেদী দেওয়ার উৎসব। আর ছেলেরা মধ্যরাত পর্যন্ত ঘুরে বেড়ায় বিভিন্ন পারামহল্লায় কোন কোন সময় দেখা যায় এলাকার রাস্তাগুলো পরিষ্কার করছে কিংবা উপরে চাঁদ তারা নকশা নিশান টানিয়ে দেয়।
সকালে ঈদগাহে নামাজের পর সবাই কোলাকুলি করে এরপর শুরু হয় মূল আনন্দ কখনো কখনো বিভিন্ন এলাকা থেকে ঈদ আনন্দ মিছিল বের হয় ছেলে থেকে বুড়ো সবাই মিলে বিভিন্ন এলাকা প্রদক্ষিণ করে আবার ফিরে আসে।
এরপর দেখা যায় বেশিরভাগ চলে যায় নিকটস্থ কবরস্থানে মৃত আত্মীয়-স্বজন বা সকলের জন্য দোয়া করতে তারপর ফিরে এসে বাসায় কিছু খাওয়া-দাওয়া করে। এরপর আবার সবাই বেরিয়ে পড়ে বিভিন্ন বন্ধু-বান্ধব আত্মীয়-স্বজন পাড়া প্রতিবেশীর বাড়িতে ঘুরে ঘুরে খোঁজখবর নিতে। আবার কেউ কেউ এলাকায় আয়োজন করা ছোট ছোট ঈদ আনন্দ মেলায় গিয়ে আনন্দ করে বিভিন্ন রকম রাইড এ চড়ে।
So, how do you celebrate Eid in your country? Care to share some stories and photos?
P.S.:
This post is a part of Eid celebration campaign initiated by @KashifMisidia
