Ask any Muslim about their preparations for major Islamic festival celebrations, and they'll probably respond with another question: "Which Eid are you talking about?" That's because in Islam, the two most important holidays annually are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Both Eids fall in different months of the Islamic calendar and hold different religious significance, but they are always celebrated together with family and friends.
🌙 Eid al-Fitr
- Ends the month of Ramadan
- Celebrated on 1 Shawwal
- Focus on gratitude, renewal, and charity (Zakat al-Fitr)
- Marked by morning prayers and festive meals
🕋 Eid al-Adha
- Includes prayers and Qurbani (animal sacrifice)
- Takes place during the Hajj season
- Falls on 10 Dhul Hijjah
- Commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s act of sacrifice
✨ Understanding Eid: An Overview
In this article, let's delve deeper into these two Eid festivals, exploring their celebration practices, historical and cultural significance, and preparation tips for the best experience.
Both Eid festivals were first celebrated when the Prophet Muhammad affirmed that God has given them two special days of festivity after his migration from Makkah to Medinah. These Islamic festival celebrations eventually became the two major Islamic holidays that every Muslim celebrate, regardless of their location.
🔥 The Significance of Eid in Islam
The meaning of the Arabic word "Eid" is festival, and these two Eid festivals have been specially and specifically mentioned in several hadith collections 1 of their divine ordinance, as follows :
The people of the Jahiliyyah had two days each year when they would play. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Al-Madinah he said: 'You had two days when you would play, but Allah (SWT) has given Muslims something instead that is better than them: the day of Al-Fitr and the day of Al-Adha.'"
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1556
The exact dates of the two Eid festivals follow the Islamic lunar calendar, in terms of months. Every Islamic celebration officially begins once the crescent moon (hilal) is sighted. This is why the Gregorian calendar dates of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha shift about 10 to 11 days earlier each year.
🎉 The Two Major Eids
Now let's review the religious significance of both Eid al-Fitr and Ed al-Adha among the global Muslim community.
🌙 Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr, known as the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan — the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a mandatory fasting period for healthy adult Muslims.
🕰️Timeline:
The first day of Shawwal, a month after Ramadan where celebration goes on for three days and is designated as a public holiday for Muslim majority countries
👨👩👧👦Practices and rituals:
Giving zakat before the Eid prayers, followed by public communal Eid prayers, house visitation among family and friends, and enjoying festive meals
🌙Eid al-Adha
On the other hand, Eid al-Adha is known as the Festival of Sacrifice. This festival is celebrated to honour Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to God, demonstrated in his willingness to sacrifice his son.
🕰️Timeline:
The tenth day of Dhu al-Hijja, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, which also coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage season
👨👩👧👦Practices and rituals:
Performing the Eid prayers, followed by Qurbani involving an animal sacrifice, distributing the meat among family, friends, and the poor
👨👩👧👦 Common Traditions and Customs
Let’s continue exploring how the two Eid festivals are similar and different in their traditions and customs throughout the celebration.
🤲 Eid Prayers
Both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha prayers are usually held in an open space or a local mosque.
- Eid al-Fitr prayers are typically conducted after the distribution of Zakat al-Fitr (charity donations) so that everyone can join the prayer, followed by sermons (khutbah) on gratitude.
- Eid al-Adha prayers are also conducted before the Qurbani (Islamic ritual sacrifice).
🍽️ Feasting and Special Foods
Both Eid al-Fitr and Ed al-Adha centre around the preparation and sharing of food among family and friends — to foster unity and fellowship among the Muslim community.
- Eid al-Fitr (known as Sweet Eid) places more emphasis on sweet dishes and pastries such as baklava and dates. 2
- Eid al-Adha (known a Salty Eid) places more emphasis on savoury dishes that are made from the Qurbani sacrifice meat.
💵 Giving of Gifts and Charity
Both festivals highlight the importance of generosity, and blessing others through gifts or charity.
- During Eid al-Fitr, it is customary to give Eidi (monetary gifts) to children and relatives. Charity is done through Zakat al-Fitr (also known as Fitrana) before Eid prayers.
- During Eid al-Adha, charity is done through the distribution of Qurbani into 3 parts: family, neighbours, and the poor.
🧕 Festive Clothing and Decorations
Muslims will usually wear traditional clothing (from their home country or cultures) or new clothes during these two festivals as a sign of celebration and renewal.
- For Eid Al-Fitr, the clothing and home decorations would be more colourful and vibrant, alongside lights or banners.
- For Eid al-Adha, the clothing and decorations would be simpler, reflecting the theme of sacrifice during gatherings.
🕌 Greetings and Social Gatherings
The common greeting used during these two festivals is "Eid Mubarak," which means blessed festival. Social gatherings among the local community, relatives, and friends are common during these two celebrations.
🌍 Eid Celebrations Around the World
While both of the Eid festivals have deep roots in Islamic history, they are also celebrated differently in different cultures according to the home countries of different Muslims worldwide.
📍Eid in the United Kingdom
In the UK, Muslims usually start gathering at open-air spaces like public parks and even football fields for communal prayers. Over the years, the celebration has scaled beyond just the local community, but for the entire city, which is inclusive for non-Muslims to participate.
For example, during the Eid al-Adha 2025 celebration, Muslims in London gathered at Trafalgar Square for the "Eid on the Square" event organised by the Mayor of London. The event also included activities held by cultural and educational institutions like the Türkiye’s international culture and language centre, Muslim Aid, and the British Islamic Medical Association. 3
📍Eid in the United States
After the Eid prayers, the Muslim community usually hosts their families and close friends with a traditional mix of sweet and savoury dishes. The rule of thumb is to bring potluck dishes, and the food can vary widely because the Muslim community in the U.S. is so diverse. 4 Here are some examples:
Guyana: Spicy duck curry seasoned in Caribbean and West Indian flavours
Pakistan: Kheer (Traditional rice pudding dish)
Bangladesh: Chotpoti (slowly cooked white pea and chickpea stew
📍Eid in India
Eid festivals are official Islamic holidays in India. Congregational prayers are common in major cities, where Muslims gather with families while exchanging greetings. The marketplaces are open till the night before Eid begins for Muslims for last-minute shopping sprees.
Of course, we cannot miss out on their traditional food 5 according to regions:
📍Eid in Indonesia
Let's switch gears to Southeast Asia. Did you know that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world? 6
Source: Pew Research Centre
There are some unique key traditions in Indonesia during Eid. One of them is the mudik, which is equivalent to the homecoming travelling journey for reunion during the festival, feasting with traditional food, and also to visit and pay respect at ancestral graves. Another highlight during Eid in this country is the Halal bi Halal, where people gather together to shake hands and ask forgiveness from one another.
📍Eid in Saudi Arabia
Eid celebrations in Saudi Arabia are bound to hit different since it's the birthplace of Islam, where Makkah and Medina are located. Every year, many Muslims around the world travel here for their Hajj pilgrimage and celebrate Eid al-Adha here with other pilgrims as it occurs during Dhul al-Hijjah, one of the sacred months.
As Eid celebrations are also public holidays here, the government hosts several activities such as fire displays and even cultural events like the traditional sword dance known as Ardha.
📍Eid in Egypt
Finally, Eid celebrations in Egypt also centre around public Eid prayers and traditional local feasts. If you ever visit Egypt during Eid, you can expect to be served iconic Egyptian dishes such as the Fata and Kahk. Everyone will put on their new clothes, and if you have young children, they will receive monetary gifts known as Ediya. 7
⭐️Preparing for Eid: A Guide
As the upcoming Eid festivals approach for the new year, here are some pointers to kickstart your Eid preparation.
📌 Spiritual Preparation
First of all, it's important to focus on the purpose of celebrating Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The key to having a fulfilling Eid al-Fitr is to go through the Ramadan fasting period with patience and gratitude. Similarly, it's also crucial to reflect on the obedience of Prophet Ibrahim and also participate in the Qurbani with a charitable heart, especially to bless the needy.
Spiritually, it's always a good time to cultivate a heart of worship through reading and reflecting on the Quran and seeking forgiveness through prayers.
📌 Planning Festivities
As Eid festivals centre around feasts and communal prayer, it's good to plan in terms of the dishes to prepare, cleaning duties, buying new clothes, and coordinating schedules for house visits or to the mosques.
You might even want to come out with a budget allocation for your targeted expenses and for charity.
Start shopping and storing ingredients earlier so that you won't be in a rush when you welcome guests on that day.
📌Shopping and Gift-Giving
This leads us nicely to our final point. Depending on your cultures, gifts can come in different forms and sizes. In some cultures, it's more customary to give money gifts (Ediyah), whereas some prefer to gift furniture or jewelry. Take some time to review the most suitable gifts for everyone so that nobody will be left out, and try to do your shopping before the final week of Eid to avoid a surge in prices.
Remember, it's the heart that matters.
We hope you have enjoyed this article on Eid celebrations. Interested to learn more about Islamic culture and the Arabic language? Connect with an experienced and qualified private Arabic tutor at Superprof today! At Superprof, you can enjoy personalised one-to-one Arabic tutoring and master this language at your own pace, regardless of your learning level. 97% of Superprof tutors offer their first lesson for free, so don't miss this opportunity!
If you are visiting someone during Eid soon, don't forget to wish them Eid Mubarak!
References
- The Book of the Prayer for the Two ’EIds - Sunnah.com - Sayings and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). (n.d.). https://sunnah.com/nasai/19
- Bitesize, B. (2020, May 24). How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated around the world? - BBC Bitesize. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z4cmkmn
- Sharing and caring: British Muslims gather in London to celebrate Eid al-Adha. (n.d.). https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/sharing-and-caring-british-muslims-gather-in-london-to-celebrate-eid-al-adha/3592021
- Dudum, E. (2024, April 8). The founders of MuslimFoodies share the Eid foods that taste like home. Food & Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/how-muslimfoodies-celebrate-eid-al-fitr-8628202
- Eid ul-Fitr: A celebration of community and renewal. (n.d.). Incredible India. https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/festivals-and-events/eid-ul-fitr
- Pew Research Center. (2025). How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020. https://doi.org/10.58094/fj71-ny11
- Khalil, N., & Khalil, N. (2025, March 26). Eid Al-Fitr in Egypt: A tapestry of faith, family, and festivities - Dailynewsegypt. Dailynewsegypt - Egypt’s Only Daily Independent Newspaper In English. https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2025/03/26/eid-al-fitr-in-egypt-a-tapestry-of-faith-family-and-festivities/
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