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The National
3 days ago
- General
- The National
What is the difference between Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha?
Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are the two principal festivals in Islam, each with distinct religious significance, customs and places on the calendar. While both are occasions for prayer, charity and celebration with family and friends, they commemorate different events and are observed at separate times in the Islamic lunar calendar. Here we look at the difference between the two and special preparations for each. Eid Al Fitr The first of the two eids on the Islamic calendar, Eid Al Fitr occurs on the first day of Shawwal and is to celebrate the conclusion of Ramadan. The name translates to "festival of breaking fast", and it is a chance for those who observed the holy month to celebrate their devotion and discipline with fasting and praying. The key aspects of Eid Al Fitr are Eid prayers, zakat al fitr, festive meals, gatherings and new clothes. Eid Al Fitr begins with Eid prayers, which begin shortly after sunrise. These prayers are held in a large open space, begin with a sermon and are often attended by the rulers and leaders of each country. Leading up to the prayer, Muslims are required to a charitable offering called zakat al fitr. It's a uniform amount, typically measured in food or its equivalent, given to the poor to enable them to celebrate Eid Al Fitr. After prayers are concluded, worshippers put on new clothes to signify a new beginning in purity and gratitude. They then gather in majlises and visit each other for Eid greetings. Children are given amounts of cash called eidiyah to spread joy among the young. While the feasts done in Eid Al Adha are bigger and more symbolic, Muslims still celebrate Eid Al Fitr with food, especially for the first breakfast after a month of fasting all day. There are three days of Eid observed, with most of the celebrations taking part on the first day. Eid Al Adha The second Eid on the Islamic calendar is Eid Al Adha and it takes place on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. The name translates to the Festival of the Sacrifice as it commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command. Eid Al Adha coincides with the end of the Hajj season, when worshippers travel to Mecca to observe the Islamic pilgrimage. Hajj is one of the greatest deeds in Islam, as it teaches patience, good ethics and its rituals bring a person closer to his/her creator. The Hajj starts on the 8th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. The 9th day is called Arafah day during which pilgrims spend the day at Mount Arafah in Mecca. Muslims around the world fast during Arafah day. For pilgrims, there are still steps to completing their Hajj, but for Muslims not on their pilgrimage, the rituals of Eid can begin. Much like Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha also begins with Eid prayers at sunrise. There is no zakat al fitr for Eid Al Adha, but worshippers are still encouraged to donate. This is done with the distribution of meat from the slaughtering of sheep. As the name indicates, families slaughter the symbolic sacrifical sheep, which is then used to cook the feast of Eid, and also distributed to the needy. Each country in the Muslim world has its special steps when it comes to Eid Al Adha sacrifices, with some streamlining the process with the use of technology. Family gatherings are also a big part of Eid Al Adha, as relatives from far and wide visit one another to greet each other on the occasion. Together with Arafah day, Eid Al Adha last for three days with most of the festivities taking place on the first day.
Egypt Today
29-03-2025
- General
- Egypt Today
Egypt to sight crescent for Eid al-Fitr this evening
Crescent moon- CC via Wikimedia CAIRO – 29 March 2025: The Egyptian Dar al-Iftaa (the House of issuing Fatwas) will sight the crescent of Shawwal 1446 AH, which will signal the end of the holy month of Ramadan, on Saturday evening. If the crescent of Shawwal- the tenth month of Islamic Calendar - is sighted this evening, the beginning of the four-day celebrations of Eid Al-Fitr (the Feast of Breaking the Fast) will start on March 30. Meanwhile, it the crescent is not observed, the Eid al-Ftir will start on March 31. On March 24, 2025, Egypt's Cabinet declared a four-day paid holiday for both public servants and the private sector to mark Eid al Fitr. The statement further clarified that if the sighting of the crescent moon of Shawwal determines that Monday, March 31, 2025, will be the first day of Shawwal, the holiday will be extended until Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
What's On
17-03-2025
- General
- What's On
Eid Al Fitr 2025: UAE public sector holiday dates announced
The announcement has come from the federal authority… We'll have to hang on a little while longer before we know exactly which days of the Gregorian Calendar week we'll all have off, but the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has confirmed the Islamic Calendar (Hijri) dates for the Eid Al Fitr holiday period. According to the authority, Eid Al Fitr holiday for the federal government will be observed from 1 to 3 Shawwal 1446 AH. The federal authority added that work will officially begin on 4 Shawwal. The authority also added that 'If Ramadan completes 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan will be considered an official holiday and added to the Eid Al Fitr holidays.' Because the Islamic Calendar is based on lunar months, it means that for these dates to be confirmed in the Gregorian calendar (the traditional January to December version), there has to be a sighting of the moon in a very specific phase. We will have to wait for confirmation on these dates closer to the time from UAE officials. Stay tuned. Eid al Fitr is also known as the 'Festival of Breaking of the Fast' and is one of two official holidays celebrated in Islam. It is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection, and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds. You can learn more about Ramadan here. Images: Unsplash > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
What's On
14-03-2025
- General
- What's On
How many days will we get off for Eid al Fitr in the UAE?
It's going to XXL weekend… Because the Islamic Calendar is based on moon phase cycles – contrary to the solar orbit-based, 365.25 day year of the Gregorian calendar (notice the .25 at the end? That's why we have leap years) – the two calendars are unsynchronised and so the dates will change relative to one another with each passing year. For example, Eid al Fitr started on April 21 in 2023, and in 2024 it began on April 10. What are the dates for Eid AL Fitr in the UAE? And because there is a convention in the UAE for certain culturally important dates to have their commencement verified by a physical sighting of the moon – there is a small question mark over their corresponding start date in the Gregorian calendar. Ramadan began on Saturday March 1, and will last either 29 or 30 days, a duration that is uniquely dictated by the moon phase. In UAE Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 it states that 'in the event the Month of Ramadan completes (30) days, day (30) of Ramadan shall be deemed as an official holiday added to the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday.' The same Resolution also outlines public and private holidays with 'a three-day holiday for Eid Al Fitr from Shawwal 1-3 (moon sighting dependent). An extra day may be added if Ramadan completes 30 days.' What that means in simple terms So it all comes down to when the crescent moon of the month of Shawwal is sighted. If the moon is spotted on Saturday, March 29, then Eid break will be from Sunday March 30 to Tuesday April 1. If the moon is not spotted on Saturday March 29, then Eid break will be from Sunday March 31 to Wednesday April 2. Meaning we're either in for a four-day or five-day weekend. When will Eid AL Fitr be announced in the UAE? The first announcement is likely to come from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), which will confirm the holiday extent in the Islamic Calendar. That usually comes a week before the actual moon sighting. When will we know for sure? The UAE's moon-sighting committee will convene on Saturday, March 29 (Ramadan 29) to search the skies for the crescent. If spotted, the holy month will end at 29 days and the Eid break will stretch from Sunday, March 30, to Tuesday, April 1. If it is not spotted, Ramadan will complete 30 days, and the break will extend to Wednesday, April 2. What is Eid al Fitr? Eid al Fitr is also known as the 'Festival of Breaking of the Fast' and is one of two official holidays celebrated in Islam. It is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds. You can learn more about Ramadan here.
What's On
12-03-2025
- What's On
When will the UAE announce the dates for Eid Al Fitr 2025? - What's On
Saudi Arabia has already announced the dates… Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development just announced the holiday dates for Eid Al Fitr 2025. This is everything we know about the Eid Al-Fitr 2025 holiday for the UAE. Depending on the moon, Ramadan will last for either 29 or 30 days. If Ramadan lasts 29 days, residents will get six days off for Eid, from Monday, April 8 (Ramadan 29) to Thursday, April 11. The UAE's moon-sighting committee will convene on Saturday, March 29 (Ramadan 29) to search the skies for the crescent. If spotted, the holy month will end at 29 days and the Eid break is from Sunday, March 30, to Tuesday, April 1. That is two days off during the working week and when combined with the Saturday weekend which precedes the holiday, that's a four-day break. It says in the UAE Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 that 'in the event the Month of Ramadan completes (30) days, day (30) of Ramadan shall be deemed as an official holiday added to the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday.' If the Moon is not spotted on March 29, the holy month of Ramadan will last 30 days. In this case the 30th of Ramadan has been declared a holiday as well in addition to three days for Eid. That means the break would be from Sunday, March 30 (Ramadan 30), till Wednesday, April 2. When also combined with the Saturday weekend that precedes the holiday, that's a five-day break. Because the Islamic Calendar is based on moon phase cycles – rather than the solar orbit-based, 365.25 day year of the Gregorian calendar – the two calendars are unsynchronised and so the dates will change relative to one another with each passing year. For example, Eid al Fitr started on April 21 in 2023, and then in 2024 it began on April 10. There also needs to be a final 'by the eye' confirmation of the particular lunar phase before certain Islamic holidays can officially commence. The Moon Sighting Committee needs to physically be able to see the shape of the moon. That means although we can offer fairly reliable predictions, we cannot 100 per cent guarantee the Gregorian holiday dates. In simple terms… If the moon is spotted on the Saturday, March 29, then Eid break will be from Sunday March 30 to Tuesday April 1. If the moon is not spotted on Saturday March 29, then Eid break will be from Sunday March 30 to Wednesday April 2. When will it be announced? The official announcement confirming the exact dates will be on Saturday March 29 after the Moon Sighting Committee has declared whether the moon has been spotted. However the government should confirm the Islamic Calendar (Hijri) dates for the Eid Al Fitr holiday period about a week prior to Ramadan ending so keep an eye on our page for the latest updates… When is the next public holiday in the UAE? > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
