Id Ul Fitr is celebrated by Muslims on the last day of Ramzan or Ramadan. The meaning of Id Ul Fitr is 'festival of breaking fast'. The day of Id Ul Fitr is celebrated by Muslims by offering prayers, wearing new clothes, meeting and greeting friends, serving special dishes like 'sheer kurma' and sherbat. Read on to find more about how Id Ul Fitr is celebrated by Muslims.
Id Ul Fitr is a celebration of the end of one month of fasting for Muslims, which is called Ramadan or Ramzan. Ramzan is the ninth month of the Muslim year and Muslims keep day long fast during the entire month. The meaning of Id Ul Fitr is 'festival of breaking the fast'. The last ten days of the month of Ramadan are considered very important. It is also because 'Allah' (God) handed over the holy book of Quran to Prophet Mohammad on one of the last ten nights of the holy month of Ramadan.
Celebration of Id Ul Fitr
Have a quick look to find out how Id Ul Fitr is celebrated by Muslims.
Offering Prayers in Mosque
Muslims offer prayers in the mosques and Idgahs on this auspicious day. This day is considered as celebrating and praying for the good will of the entire human community.
Id prayers are very special and are carried out in big mosques early in the morning immediately after sunrise. So, people rise early that morning and get ready, take bath and wear new or fresh clothes to attend this prayer.
Greeting Friends and Relatives
Elaborate festivities and celebrations are carried out. People embrace and congratulate each other for this happy and significant festival.
Decorating House and Shopping
People decorate their houses and banners of 'Id Mubarak' are seen almost everywhere. They help their neighbours and invite them to have meal together. Shopping for new clothes and sweets are done especially an evening before Id Ul Fitr.
Dressing-up in New Clothes
People dress up in new clothes and scent themselves with perfumes of their choices. Children wait for this day and appear extremely happy to have sweets, new clothes, money to spend and blessings from all elders.
Giving Alms and Food to Poor
Most of the Muslims believe in giving alms and food to poor and even children of the house are given money to spend and rejoice according to the tradition.
Meeting Friends and Relative and Exchanging Gifts
People meet their friends and relatives and invite them for meal in their houses and also share sweets and special dishes along with good wishes. Gifts are exchanged between friends and relatives on Id Ul Fitr. The celebration is carried on for three days. People wish each other 'Id Mubarak' and share sweets and other food items.
Preparing Sweets and Sharbats
Women prepare sweets especially vermicelli and prepare special meals also. The food is special also because the whole month of fasting has ended and now onwards they will have regular and timely meals everyday. 'Sharbat' or cool drinks or rose squash are served to the guests and all those who visit the house.
Muslims believe that no one should go without having food and drinks from their houses that day and so they serve sharbat and sweets to poor people also.
Muslim women make gifts on their own also like embroidered special clothes, which they do while fasting during the days of Ramadan.
Usually Muslims follow the tradition and their celebrations are more or less the same throughout the world. In addition to enjoying the present, some people visit the cemeteries and pay homage to their ancestors by offering them flowers. Merrymaking and enjoyment is in the air and everyone appears happy that day.
How is Id Ul Fitr Celebrated? Which sweets and desserts are prepared on the occasion of Id Ul Fitr? What kind of gifts can be exchanged on the occasion of Id Ul Fitr? To share your views and experiences, click here.
