The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.

As the date of Eid depends on the sighting of the moon, there may be variations in the exact date that is celebrated around the world. The announcement of the exact dates of Eid Al-Fitr may not happen until close to the start of Ramadan.

Muslims from around the world observe Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, in their unique ways. Every community welcomes the holy month with its distinctive traditions and practices.

People across Muslim countries typically start Eid by praying at mosques on the morning of the feast.

In addition to prayers in the mosque, Eid al-Fitr is an occasion when families gather around the table to enjoy desserts and pastries, bread, milk, coffee, and tea to celebrate.

Eid al-Fitr is sometimes referred to as the Sugar Feast, a nod to the fact that a large constituent part of the meal one eats at the festival is desserts.

Eid Mubarak

During Eid, one of the most common things you’ll hear people say to one another is “Eid Mubarak”. This literally means “blessed Eid” and is a way of expressing celebration. You might also hear “Eid sa’id” which means “happy Eid”.

Other countries have different greetings though. In Nigeria, people are likely to say “Balla da Sallah”, which is the Hausa for happy Eid. In Malaysia, Eid is called Hari Raya, so to wish someone a happy Eid, you would say “Selamat Hari Raya”.

Eid al-Fitr prayers

Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Fitr with prayers called “Salat Al Eid” in Arabic. There is no audible call to prayer for the Eid prayers. Muslims will gather in mosques or open spaces and offer two units of prayer – called “Rakat”. The prayers are followed by a sermon, in which the imam asks for forgiveness, mercy, and peace for every being across the world.

It’s a tradition to wear new clothes and on the way to the mosque, eat something sweet such as a date, and recite a small prayer called a takbeer.

Zakat Al-Fitr

Charity is among the noblest deeds in Islam. In fact, all Muslims celebrate Eid by donating clothes, food, and money to those less fortunate. It is obligatory for Muslims to do charity before or on the day of Eid.

Fitrah or Zakat Al Fitr is a mandatory act of charity carried out at the end of the holy month of Ramadan by all the Muslims that have the means to do so.

The main purpose of paying Fitrah is to provide all the poor and needy Muslims with the means of celebrating the joyous occasion of Eid al-Fitr with the rest of the community.

For many Muslims, Eid al-Fitr is a festival to show gratitude to Allah for the help and strength he gave them throughout the month of Ramadan to help them practice self-control.

In addition to charity, Muslims are also encouraged to give and seek forgiveness during Eid al-Fitr and look forward to the opportunity to fast again during Ramadan the following year.

Eid al-Fitr celebrations in some countries

Eid al-Fitr is a significant Muslim festival on the Islamic calendar and a public holiday involving activities including prayers, asking for forgiveness and pledging solidarity, social gatherings, and family reunions as well as giving to charity.

Celebrations may differ from culture to culture, from China to America, but all Muslims start their day by heading to the mosque and afterwards, gather with family and feast on traditional foods—mensaf in Jordan, couscous in Morocco, or biryani in Pakistan.

The elders may hand out money to younger kids, families exchange gifts and children run around playing games.

Million Muslims perform their Eid prayer at Masjid al-Haram in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on the first day of Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Indonesia, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, observes a week-long national holiday during this period, and travel surges lead to massive traffic jams in the overpopulated islands of Java and Sumatra.

During the Eid celebrations, the Malaysians dress in their traditional best. The traditional outfits for men are called ‘Baju Melayu’ and those for the ladies are called ‘Baju Kurung’.

In the Philippines, people take to the streets and parks in the morning to pray together in Manila and Quezon City, epa reporters saw.

In Pakistan, men usually wear simple traditional clothes for Eid whereas women and girls wear colorful clothes with bangles but it is customary for almost everyone to wear a new dress.

No Eid celebration is completed without henna as it is a must activity for Pakistani girls and ladies to apply henna on their hands on the occasion.

Sheer Khurma is a festival vermicelli pudding prepared by Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It is a traditional Muslim festive breakfast and a dessert for celebrations.

In Lebanon and most countries, the Eid starts early morning as Muslims gather at mosques, plazas, or outdoor squares to perform prayers, followed by a short sermon.

Traditional Eid food and desserts are a must during Eid al-Fitr in Lebanon. Some of the desserts that are prepared for the occasion are the Kaak el Eid and the Maamoul, which is a mouthwatering cookie stuffed with pistachios, walnuts, or dates, and covered with powdered sugar.

Normally, Knefeh, which is a traditional dessert made with sweetened melty cheese and covered with sugar syrup in Qatar, is commonly served as a breakfast on the Eid mornings.

Children are handed out gifts, including coloring books, toys, and biscuits at some mosques in Istanbul. In the historic Fatih district on the European side, hundreds of people have breakfast together while in the other historic mosques of the city, soups are distributed among worshippers.

Compiled by Marzieh Rahmani