Id-ul-Fittar

Id-ul-Fittar, is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.  Fittar is “to break the fast” and therefore symbolises the breaking of the fasting period.

On the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family is awake very early and then after praying the first normal everyday prayer, is required to eat in a small quantity, symbolising the end of Ramadan.  They then attend special congregational prayers held only for this occasion in mosques, in large open areas, stadiums or arenas.

The prayer is generally short, and is followed by a khutba.  Worshippers great and embrace each other in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer.  After the special prayers festivities and merriment is be commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends in thanking God for all blessings.  Id is a time to come together as a community and to renew friendship and family ties.  This is a time for peace for all Muslims in the world to devote to prayers and mutual well-being.

It is a joyous occasion with important religious significance.  Happiness is observed as attaining spiritual uplift after a month of fasting.  Muslims normally dress in holiday attire.

For Muslims, Id-ul-Fittar is a joyful celebration of the achievement of enhanced piety.  It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory, and peace of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity.  Muslims here are not only celebrating the end of fasting, but tanking God for the help and strength that they believe.  He gave them throughout the previous month to help them practice self-control.   It is a time of giving and sharing, as like Christmas in Christianity.

History

Prophet Muhammad celebrated the first Id in 624 AD with his companions and relatives after winning battle of Badr.  All men from city of Badr where massacred on the same day, when one month old battle of Badr ended.  This very occasion in celebrated annually with moon calendar as Id.

The holiday follows the month of Ramadan, falling on the first day of Shawwal (the tenth month in the Islamic calendar).  As with all months in the Islamic calendar, it begins with the sighting of the new moon, although some people choose to use scientific calculations instead of a confirmed visual sighting.  Because the day depends on the sighting of the moon, the sighting could only be possible just before the sunset.

Most check with local mosques or other members of the community to see if authoritative parties have sighted the moon.  In Malaysia, they are using both sighting of the moon and astronomical calculation is only used to verify the sighting of the moon (i.e. the exact time of the visibility of the moon).  For this reason, there may be regional differences in the exact date of Id, with some Muslims fasting for 29 days and some for 30 days.

Id-ul-Fittar commemorates the end of the month of Ramadan.  Fasting is forbidden on this day as it marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan.  A Muslim is encouraged to rise early and partake of a light snack such as dates before then attending morning prayers with family members in the local community mosque.