Eid-al-Fitr
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World-wide Celebrations End Ramadan with a Feast
From Abu Dhabi to Zanzibar, Muslims ended their 29 or 30 days of fasting with a celebration called Eid al-Fitr. This feast day comes at the end of Ramadan and in many places will include a holiday for three days.
In Jakarta, businesses and shops are closed and the usually gridlocked streets are nearly empty as about half the capital’s 12 million people leave the city for their hometowns.
Idul Fitri marks the end of the month of Ramadan, when Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sex during daylight hours.
Eid means recurring happiness or festivity in Arabic and Al-Fitr literally means the breaking of fast. Muslims celebrate the day that marks the beginning of Shawwal or the tenth month in the Muslim calendar with much enthusiasm and fervor.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki called on political and religious leaders to put the higher national interests of the country above anything else and cement the national unity. Two deadly attacks brought bloodshed to ordinary Iraqis, including children, as they prepared to celebrate.
Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothes (new if possible) and to attend a special Eid prayer that is performed in congregation at mosques or open areas like fields, squares etc. When Muslims finish their fast at the last day (29th or 30th Ramadan), they recite Takbir.
A massive turnout of the Iranian people in the rallies honoring the International Quds Day (the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan) in support of the Palestinian cause. New York’s Empire State Building will be lit up in green this week to honor the Muslim holiday Eid-al-Fitr. In Saudi Arabia, the home to Islam’s holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, King Abdullah signalled "Muslim solidarity." He ordered forgiveness of debts for the families of deceased men and women who had taken loans with the housing development fund and the Saudi loan bank.
There is a fair bit of disagreement on the day Eid is celebrated due to moonsighting difficulties and interpretation.
The conflict that arises from this disagreement is that different communities may find themselves anticipating different holiday dates, and this may cause confusion, particularly for individuals living in the western world, for example, who may need to request vacation days in advance.
In North America, the Fiqh Council has produced a new formula for determining the start of Ramadan and the subsequent start of Eid al fitr. It is based upon calculating the moon scientifically, but then, figuring out when it can be viewed by the naked eye.
Many Christians have taken the opportunity to greet Muslims in friendship. Instead of focusing on differences, they have been telling their Muslim neighbors how they too as Christians fast and pray because they are "people of the book". In some cases, this time of celebration among Muslims is used as an opportunity to witness to them. One young person said, "Muslims are so open right now and in a good mood, I can explain my faith to them without stirring tempers."
Although Ramadan is over, the necessity for prayer and action towards Muslim’s continues.
More information about Muslim Holidays and Islamic Holy Days is here …>>
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Filed under: Basics of Islam by TDI
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My husband led our muslim washerman toChrist on October 13, 2007-just a day afrter the EID celebretion.
My husband encouraged him to attend a gospel church the following day, being a sunday; he went.
My husband has asked about 3 families in that church (including the pastor) to follow him up
Two years ago in Vancouver, Canada, I met Muslim students from Saudi Arabia. I became close to a few of them. Some come to study for only a few months and others stay for at least two or more years. I became friends to a few but there were at least five that I invited to come to church with me not all at once but separate times. Since these students are all from Saudi they have not been to church in their life. In my heart though I was hoping to just plant a seed. My prayer was just to introduce them to what Christianity is like not what they see on t.v. Wearing cross. They came with me. I told them that we are there to worship God. Their English is limited so I can see why the message did not get through or as a first timer everything is new. But my prayer is hopefully one day that experience will lead them to the Lord. I gave a Bible to these students when they went home. Each of these men brought it back to Saudi.
Out of this experience I realized that we can be an instrument to Muslim students.