Eid

Eid is a short name for two different major Islamic festivals that occur at different times—Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Both are commonly referred to as Eid for short, and the greeting Eid Mubarak (roughly meaning “Happy Eid” or “Blessed Eid”) can be used for both.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day.

Eid al-fitr begins the day after Ramadan ends. Its name means “festival of the breaking of the fast.” It is traditionally marked with a special meal—which for many Muslims is the first daytime meal they’ve eaten in a month.

Along with the Eid al-Fitr feast, many Muslims observe the day by getting dressed up, decorating their homes, gathering with family and friends, attending services at their mosque, and making charitable donations.

Eid al-Fitr is sometimes spelled Eid-ul-Fitr.

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha is a four-day festival that commemorates the story of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s)  willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael (Ishmael) when Allah commanded him to. When Ibrahim showed that he would obey, Allah provided a sheep for Ibrahim to sacrifice instead.

For this reason, Eid al-Adha traditionally involves sacrificing a sheep or goat. The meat is then divided among family, friends, and those in need.

Many Muslims observe the festival by dressing up, attending services at their mosque, gathering with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and making charitable donations.

Eid al-Adha occurs on the last day of Hajj, a pilgrimage that Muslims are obligated to undertake once in their lives.

Eid al-Adha can also be spelled ʾId al-Adha or Eid-ul-Adha. It is sometimes called Big Eid, the Festival of Sacrifice, and the Great Festival.

The two different festivals sometimes referred to as Eid occur at different times of the year. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the dates of these feasts vary from year to year.

Eid al-Fitr

In 2022, Eid al-Fitr will be observed on May 3 (officially beginning on the evening of May 2). In 2023, it will officially begin on the evening of April 21 and be observed on April 22.

Eid al-Fitr takes place every year on the day after Ramadan ends, which is the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar.

Eid al-Adha 

In 2022, Eid al-Adha will begin on the evening of July 9 and end on the evening of July 13. In 2023, Eid al-Adha will begin on the evening of June 29 and end on the evening of July 2.

Eid al-Adha always begins on the tenth day of Dhu ʾl-hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar.

The first records of the word Eid come from around the 1600s. Eid comes from the Arabic ʿīd, meaning “festival, feast,” from the Aramaic ʿed, meaning “day of assembly,” “feast day,” or “festival.”

The name Eid al-Fitr comes from the Arabic ʿīd al-fiṭr, which means “festival of the breaking of the fast.”

The name Eid al-Adha comes from the Arabic ʿīd al-aḍḥā, meaning “festival of sacrifice.”

What are some terms that often get used in discussing Eid?

• Eid al-Fitr
• Eid al-Adha
• festival
• feast
• holiday
• Islam
• Ramadan
• Shawwal
• meal
• fast
• sacrifice
• sheep
• Dhu ʾl-hijjah
• Hajj

Eid can refer to either Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha. The greeting Eid Mubarak can be used for both.

<353> This Eid should make us think about the philosophy of sacrifice. We should sacrifice our narrow personal interests, inflated egos & biases for the greater public good. When most people make such sacrifices we emerge as a stronger, responsible & caring society. Eid Mubarak. pic.twitter.com/ywgoux4HYZ

— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) August 1, 2020

Why am I looking for eid outfits now

— Ēkkż🇧🇩🥷🏽 (@Ekkz_24) February 16, 2021

For the fourth year running, black Muslims are sharing photos of themselves celebrating Eid with #BlackoutEid https://t.co/dDHLtQ14Ej

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) May 26, 2020

True or False?

The two festivals known as Eid occur in the same month.