Marcus Richards
Muslims and anyone associated with the practices of the Islamic religion celebrate the Eid holidays. These celebrations have purposes related to Ramadan and the Hajj Pilgrimage, Its deeply ingrained legacy is part of Islam’s culture and beliefs, and it includes particular practices that pay significant homage to the ancestral Muslim people’s very old customs.
Eid Celebrations
There are two Eid festivities which are the Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha. At the end of Ramadan, a holiday known as the Eid-al-Fitr is observed in honor of the month of fasting as well as the spiritual truths that were discovered during that time. Meanwhile, the holiday Eid-al-Adha honors the prophet Abraham’s devotion to God. Islam places a high emphasis on all of the prophets – from Adam to Moses to Jesus and everyone in between – and this Eid presents a special chance to commemorate a profound spiritual message from one of these prophets. Both Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha involve sacrifice and offering such as animals, prayers, and fasting. There are also some vibrant customs and practices, read below to know how the Eid days are celebrated:
Fasting
Eid-al-Fitr takes place for 30 days after the period of Ramadan. Muslim people during this festival bid their goodbyes to Ramadan which is a period that they fast between before sunrise and sunset. This only happens one day and is usually celebrated with a morning prayer, a family gathering for the whole day, and lots of good food.
Prayer
These two holidays are often started with a morning prayer called “takbeer” in as early as 7:00 a.m. for some families or communities. Eid-al-Adha is celebrated During the Hajj Pilgrimage, those who are at home continues to pray, while some of those who are at their place of prayer or Mecca prays the traditional Islamic ways.
Spending Time with Family and Relatives
The Muslim community unites and gathers during these two grandest celebrations in the Muslim calendar. During Eid-al-Fitr, families and relatives get together wearing their new clothes and prepare sumptuous food. Exchanging gifts is also done during this day.
Eid Decorations
Wishing Muslims well and happy celebrations on their Eid days is by saying “Eid Mubarak!”. Eid festivities are symbolized by crescent moons and stars, and Ramadan decor is usually associated with these images.
Eid decorations are not something new or unique to your eyes, you can grab anything and integrate it to look more Islamic (forming Moorish arches, cutting moon and star shapes, etc.) or with the phrase “Eid Mubarak!” at the center of the backdrop. Celebrating Eid at home or at any events place goes with the usual decorations such as banners, backdrops, candles, wreaths, balloons, and moon lanterns with lights.
Charity
Eid-al-Adha lasts up to four days. Fasting is not a main highlight, but instead, Muslims also celebrate this through a sacrifice such as offering cows, sheep, or lamb and donating it to the poor.
On the other hand, Eid-al-Adha is commemorated by giving charity to the poor which is usually done before the morning prayer. They call it “Zakat al-Fitr”. This charity works by feeding and donating some items and money to the needy.
More than the mainstream ideas of what we know about the fasting practices of Ramadan, the Eid festival days are vital for understanding that Muslims are also open to having fun and enjoyable customs. Hence, the Islam religion is not commemorated only by sacrifices and fasting but also by glamorous exchanging gifts, a sense of gathering, varied food preparations, and eyes for fashion.
