How Eid is celebrated around the world

Eid Al Fitr is usually celebrated on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawal on the sighting of the new crescent. Marking the end of a month of fasting, Eid means festivity while Fitr stands for breaking the fast, and Eid Al Fitr symbolises the breaking of the fast celebrations.

Normally a three-day celebration, Eid brings friends and family together to share the joy of preparing sweet delicacies, wearing new clothes, giving gifts and decorating homes.

History

The Prophet Mohammed talked about Eid Al Fitr celebrations at the end of the holy month of Ramadan when, in Medina, he came across people celebrating on two specific days. The Prophet told them that it was better for such celebrates to take place during Eid Al Fitr at the end of Ramadan and Eid Al Adha.

For Muslims, both festivals are occasions to show gratitude to Allah, as well as an occasion for fun and entertainment.

Common customs and rituals

Eid Al Fitr is celebrated with common greetings worldwide such as ‘Eid Mubarak', which means Blessed Eid, or ‘Eid Sa‘eed', which translates to Happy Eid. Many countries have their own local greetings. In Malaysia they say 'Selamat hari Raya', and in Turkey, they might say 'Bayramınız kutlu olsun'.

Typically on Eid, Muslims wake up before sunrise, perform Fajr prayers and, in keeping with Prophet Mohammed’s tradition, take a shower, clean their teeth, wear new clothes (or the best available), apply perfume and head out to perform Eid prayers. Some people visit graveyards to pray for departed family members before performing Eid prayers.

On the way to the Eid prayer, usually performed in an open field or large mosques, people may recite takbir - 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Laa ilaaha ilal-lahu wal-Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa-lilla hil hamd' - loosely and briefly translated into ‘Allah is Great. There is but one Allah. Praise and thanks be to Allah.’

Eid prayer is performed in congregation. There is no call to prayer, as is the case with the five obligatory daily prayers. Eid prayer is followed by a sermon and some supplications seeking Allah's forgiveness, mercy, peace and blessings for all beings across the world.

Children get Eid money, or ‘Eidiyah’, usually from immediate relatives. In South East Asia, the Eid money for children is known as 'duit raya'. Muslims are also encouraged to give alms, forgive and forget differences or animosities that may have occurred during the year, and an obligatory act of charity called  'Zakat Al Fitr' is paid to the poor before praying.

Subcontinent celebrations

In Kashmir, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, celebrations begin a day before the actual festive day when women shop for delicacies, buy new colourful clothes and accessories, and get their hands coloured with henna. Special dishes are prepared for Eid in anticipation of guests who will be visiting after Eid prayers on the next day. Celebrations often continue for an entire week.

In Afghanistan, Eid Al Fitr is commonly called 'Kochnai Akhtar' and celebrations last for three days. 

GCC Nations (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait)

As with most countries, families gather after Eid prayers and have special meals. Children get 'Eidiyah' and toys, and people go out of their way to be kind and generous to the less fortunate. 

It is common for family members of different households to put large rugs in selected neighbourhood streets or mosques and offer food and drinks to workers and people in their neighbourhood.

Some GCC countries decorate the streets with colourful lights, organise spectacular fireworks amd host folklore dances, orchestras and other recreational programmes to mark Eid festivities.

Most people go to local parks or recreational areas to watch fireworks and have a picnic while enjoying rides and fairs organised by municipalities.

South East Asia

In countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Eid may be called 'Hari Raya Aidilfitri' or 'Hari Raya Puasa'. Vibrant day and night markets offer a selection of cookies, clothes and homemade sweets, as it is normal for everything to close down for a few days to celebrate 'Hari Raya'.

Many people from the cities head to their hometowns to celebrate Eid; this tradition is commonly called 'Balik Kampung'.

Oil lamps are lit around houses for decoration and some families light firecrackers to celebrate. People greet each other by saying 'Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri', which means 'Happy Eid', adding 'Maaf zahir batin', which is a way to ask for forgiveness for any wrongdoings.

Traditional dishes like beef rending (fried beef in coconut milk) and lemang (glutinous rice cake cooked in bamboo) are common in most homes during Eid.

In the Philippines, Eid Al Fitr is known as 'Wakas ng Ramadan' and their traditions are similar to those of most of Asia.

Europe/ North America and South Pacific (Australia, New Zealand and Fiji islands)

In non-Muslim countries, Eid Al Fitr is usually not a public holiday. The first day of Eid would start with Muslims performing Eid prayers and attending sermons. Generally, Eid celebrations are more subdued, partly because most Muslim communities are small and scattered around the different cities. Most Eid activities, such as prayers and feasts, tend to revolve around mosques, community centres, convention halls or parks. People in the community visit relatives and friends, and some families may take their children to malls, amusement parks, skating rinks or parks.

Turkey

Eid Al Fitr, a national holiday in Turkey, is often seen as a festival of sweets and celebrations. Young people greet elders by kissing their right hand and placing it on their own foreheads, while saying their Eid greetings. Children visit relatives and neighbours, greeting everyone and getting chocolates, traditional sweets or money in return. Many people use the holiday to attend concerts or more traditional forms of entertainment like shadow-theatre or musical performances.

Africa

In Nigeria, Eid is popularly known as 'Small Sallah'. Celebrations usually last for two days, and the traditional greeting is 'Barka Da Sallah' - literally 'Greetings on Sallah'. Muslims observe their Eid prayers at designated praying grounds before heading home to partake in festive meals, generally prepared by the women of the household.

In Egypt, after Eid prayers and family visits, people head to parks, malls, cinemas, or go on Nile cruises or or cultural site visits,  while enjoying special Eid programmes on TV and at movie theatres.

Eid Al Adha

The other Muslim celebration, known as Eid Al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice or Greater Eid), falls annually on the tenth day of the twelfth month (Dhul Hijjah) in the Islamic lunar calendar – around 10 weeks after Eid Al Fitr. This is observed in solidarity with the millions of pilgrims performing the annual Hajj.

Like Eid Al Fitr, people wear new clothes, go for Eid prayers and then prepare meals from the sacrificed lamb or cattle.

Careful planning of production space is vital to reduce congestion in both the preparation and packing stages, and to eliminate human error in assigning food to the wrong client. The kitchen is constantly working to deadlines.

Meals are prepared and cooked, cheffed (distributed to the gastronomic trays), packed, transported to clients, and re-cheffed, all while ensuring that the temperature of the food remains at prescribed levels for food safety.

Iftar and suhoor dishes are cooked in huge quantities so, while it may not be mama’s cooking, when you are far away from home and fasting, these meals are a pretty close second.