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Eid al-Fitr (“Festival of Breaking the Fast”) is the Islamic holiday on the 1st of Shawwal, the day after Ramadan ends. Marked by congregational prayer, the obligatory charity of Zakat al-Fitr, family visits and feasting, it is celebrated by an estimated 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide.
When is Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr falls on the 1st of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic Hijri calendar — the day after the end of Ramadan. Because the Hijri calendar is purely lunar (~354 days), Eid drifts about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year.
Two methods determine the exact start:
- Umm al-Qura (astronomical): Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and most Gulf states pre-calculate the start of Shawwal from the moon’s conjunction at Mecca.
- Local moon sighting (Ru’yah): Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, South Africa and many Western mosques require a verified naked-eye crescent sighting on the 29th of Ramadan.
The result is that Eid often falls on different days in different countries — typically a one-day spread.
Upcoming Eid al-Fitr dates
Estimated 1st of Shawwal based on the Umm al-Qura calendar. Actual observance may vary by ±1 day in countries that rely on local moon sighting.
| Year (Hijri) | Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal) | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 1448 AH (2027) | March 9, 2027 | Tuesday |
| 1449 AH (2028) | February 26, 2028 | Saturday |
| 1450 AH (2029) | February 14, 2029 | Wednesday |
| 1451 AH (2030) | February 4, 2030 | Monday |
| 1452 AH (2031) | January 24, 2031 | Friday |
History & origin
The first Eid al-Fitr was celebrated by the Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslim community in Medina around 624 CE (the 2nd year of the Hijri calendar), shortly after the Battle of Badr and the formal institution of the Ramadan fast by Qur’anic revelation (2:183–185). According to hadith collected in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sunan Abi Dawud, the Prophet replaced two pre-Islamic Arabian festival days observed by the people of Medina with the two Eids — Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
The accompanying obligation of Zakat al-Fitr — a small obligatory charity paid before the Eid prayer to feed the poor — was instituted in the same period, with the explicit purpose of allowing every Muslim, regardless of means, to celebrate.
Observance & traditions
- Ghusl & new clothes — a full ritual washing (ghusl) before sunrise, and ideally wearing new or one’s best clothes.
- Salat al-Eid — the special two-rakat Eid prayer held in congregation shortly after sunrise, typically in mosques, open prayer-grounds (musalla), or large outdoor venues. It includes extra takbirs (declarations of “Allahu Akbar”) and a khutbah (sermon).
- Zakat al-Fitr — obligatory charity (roughly the cost of a meal per household member) paid before the Eid prayer.
- Festive meal — breaking the morning fast with sweets is traditional; the name “Sweet Eid” (used in Turkey: Şeker Bayramı) reflects this. Regional dishes vary widely — sheer khurma in South Asia, kahk biscuits in Egypt, lokum in Turkey.
- Eidi — gifts of money or sweets given by elders to children.
- Family visits — visiting relatives and neighbours, exchanging the greeting “Eid Mubarak”.
Sources & references
- Umm al-Qura Calendar — official lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.
- moonsighting.com — global crescent visibility forecasts and confirmed sighting reports.
- Sahih al-Bukhari — hadith collection documenting the Prophet’s establishment of the two Eids in Medina.
- Qur’an 2:183–185 — the verses prescribing Ramadan fasting that conclude with Eid al-Fitr.
FAQs
Eid al-Fitr is the 1st of Shawwal, the day after Ramadan ends. Saudi Arabia and most Gulf states fix Shawwal’s start using the Umm al-Qura astronomical calendar, while many countries (including Pakistan, India, Morocco, and many North American mosques) wait for a verified naked-eye sighting of the crescent moon. Cloud cover and the crescent’s low altitude on the relevant evening commonly cause Eid to fall a day apart between countries.
Sighting committees and astronomical bodies look for the crescent moon on the 29th evening of Ramadan. If it’s visible, Ramadan ends after 29 days and Eid is the next day. If not, Ramadan completes a full 30 days and Eid is the day after. The Umm al-Qura calendar in Saudi Arabia pre-calculates this based on the moon’s conjunction over Mecca.
Zakat al-Fitr is an obligatory charity due from every self-supporting Muslim before the Eid prayer. It is typically the cash equivalent of roughly one sa’ (about 2.5–3 kg) of a local staple food per family member — commonly $10–$15 per person depending on country. Its purpose is to ensure that no Muslim is excluded from the Eid celebration for lack of means.
The religious observance is one day (the 1st of Shawwal), but festivities commonly extend across three days. In many Muslim-majority countries, all three days are public holidays — for example Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Turkey give two or three days off work.
“Eid Mubarak” literally translates as “blessed festival” from Arabic — “Eid” meaning festival and “Mubarak” meaning blessed. “Eid Sa’id” (“happy festival”) and “Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum” (“may Allah accept it from us and from you”) are also common Eid greetings.
No. Eid al-Fitr (the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”) is the smaller of the two and falls on 1 Shawwal, marking the end of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha (the “Festival of Sacrifice”) falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, about two months and ten days later, and commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Eid al-Adha is closely tied to the Hajj pilgrimage.