Eid al-Fitr ( الفطر عيد), the first of the two main Islamic festivals, is expected to be observed on March 20th this year. Known as the Festival of Breaking Fast, Muslims around the world celebrate the end of Ramadan in the Islamic month of Shawwal by sighting a new crescent moon. Compared to Eid al-Adha (األضحى عيد), which is the second Islamic celebration falling approximately two months later, Eid al-Fitr is considered a larger and more celebratory occasion. Join me in exploring how Muslims across cultures celebrate Eid and what underlying similarities they share.
First, what does a typical day consist of when celebrating Eid? Muslims begin Eid al-Fitr with a communal prayer led by an imam, usually in their local mosque, outside the mosque if it is full, or in an open field. The prayer itself can only be performed in congregation, consisting of two rakats and featuring six additional Takbirs (stating “Allahu ‘Akbar” meaning “God is the greatest” with raised hands to your ears). You can often see younger children handing out sweets around the mosque after the adults have finished praying — fully satisfying the Islamic holiday’s nickname as ‘Sweet Eid.’ After prayer and greeting those around you with a salam and an “Eid Mubarak!” (translating along the lines of ‘Have a Blessed Eid!’), everyone disperses from the mosque and ventures to their next destination for Eid celebrations. Whether this means going back home to celebrate with their family, visiting a friend’s social gathering, or attending a semi-formal event in their best cultural clothing, it is completely up to the individual and their upbringing. After a month of fasting, the main theme of Eid al-Fitr is to celebrate with cultural dishes and sweets, often prepared in the early morning and enjoyed throughout the day. Homes are decorated with Eid ornaments, and Muslims are encouraged to seek forgiveness from one another and to forgive others.
What shocked me most growing up was that not all Muslims celebrate Eid on the same day because of local discrepancies, which made it all the more fun, as Eid al-Fitr could feel like a never-ending celebration. And despite these cultural differences, there is an underlying similarity that emphasises social connection, gratitude, and generosity in the act of zakat al-Fitr (a money donation to those in need).
I sat down with my fellow Muslim friends to ask what makes Eid special to them and their cultural identity:
“[Eid] is always super flexible, with an emphasis on joy and family time! Sometimes we will go to the cinema, get a takeaway, or be invited for a dinner with family friends” — Noor Hassanein, Palestine
“In the lead up to Eid, I spend most of my time doing my family and friends’ henna, doing mine at the very last minute! We also get ready to go to either a breakfast or a barbecue invite (or both!)” — Haadia Shahzad, Pakistan
“On Eid day, I travel with my family to my extended relatives’ house, and we eat a big meal (usually biryani!). Afterwards, we typically get ice cream, or some dessert, as a family” — Fateema Patel, India
“In Brunei, the first day of Eid always feels special to me. I start the day by wearing my new Eid clothes, as it’s a Sunnah (actions approved by the Prophet Muhammad) and then head to my grandparents’ house for Eid prayers. After, I go to friends and family’s homes for ziarah (act of visiting others), and by the end of the day, I’m usually surrounded by my loved ones!” — Farah Saiful, Brunei
I am fortunate to have had a multicultural upbringing, and from this, I have had the opportunity to see the different traditions that cultures around the world celebrate Eid. While living in Malaysia, it was evident that Eid was celebrated more widely across the community due to the number of Muslims in the country — to the extent that Eid celebrations lasted for nearly a month! However, moving to the UK with its predominantly white neighbourhoods has meant that the ‘hype’ for Eid has died down over the years for my family. It slowly became a day of nostalgia, to which we video call our extended family in Malaysia who have already experienced seven to eight hours of Eid due to the time difference, and an even more childhood nostalgic feeling is missing out on being one of the youngest in a crowd and receiving “duit raya” (‘Eid money’) in a green-coloured envelope.
This year is the first year in which I have celebrated parts of Eid week in Edinburgh (known on social media as “Eid-inburgh”); I enjoyed seeing different university societies’ festive meal events, my friends dressed in their 2026 Eid outfits with henna on their hands, and the number of student-flat potluck gatherings to attend — what we as Malaysians call the ‘Open House’.
Eid Mubarak, or if in Malay: Selamat Hari Raya!
Photo provided by Aisya Imya to The Student