In the United Kingdom, Islamic festivals are not designated public holidays, but they are still widely celebrated and observed. Many British Muslims and Muslim migrants take time off from work or school to mark these occasions, celebrate with their families, and spend time in prayer.
These festivals serve as a time of spiritual reflection to strengthen one's faith and a time to bond with families and fellow believers within the Muslim community. In this article, we'll explore the major festivals in Islam and their significance in the Islamic faith.
🎉 Overview of Islamic Festivals
To understand the various timelines of Islamic festivals, we'll have to decipher the Islamic calendar, which determines the beginning of the Islamic New Year, and its differences from the Gregorian calendar.
Islamic calendar
- Has 12 months
- 29-30 days in a month (not fixed, based on moon cycles)
- 354-355 days/year
- Lunar: Based on the moon's orbit around the Earth
- Does not align with seasons as it shifts throughout the year
Gregorian calendar
- Has 12 months
- 28- 31 days (days in months are fixed)
- 365-366 days/year
- Solar: Based on the Earth's orbit around the sun
- Fixed to the four seasons as it is aligned with the Earth's orbit
This is the reason why Islamic holidays change dates every year according to the Gregorian calendar, as the year starts with the practice of moonsighting, also known as Muharam (it can be any date, and doesn't start on January 1).
As a result, all the Islamic festivals move about 10 to 11 days earlier each year. Hence, the Islamic calendar serves as the foundation and unifying symbol for Muslims worldwide, with the practice of moon sighting being an important aspect of Islamic culture. 1
🙏 Major Islamic Festivals
Now, let's explore how the major Islamic festivals are celebrated and their significance in the Muslim faith.
🍬 Eid al-Fitr
First, let's talk about Eid al-Fitr. It is celebrated to commemorate the end of Ramadan, and is also known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast." It falls on the first day of Shawwal, which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
The date of Eid al-Fitr 2026 is expected to start on the evening of 20th March, which is subject to moon sighting.
During this day, Muslims would also give money to the poor and needy as an act of charity (known as Zakat al-Fitr) before they attend special Eid prayers. Zakat is compulsory to be given during that period to allow everyone to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
The Eid prayers are mostly conducted in open spaces or local mosques. It is a day of celebration where everyone comes in their new clothes, shares gifts, and has good meals. In alignment with the theme of being refreshed and gratitude (after a month of fasting).
During this day, Muslim children will receive Eidi or Eidiya in the form of money packets from their parents or older relatives, or friends.
Usually, children will line up according to their birth order and receive the Eidi from their parents while asking for forgiveness and greeting their family members with hugs or kisses.
🐑 Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha is known as the Festival of Sacrifice. It is a major celebration in Islam that commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for God. The celebration falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the last month of the Islamic calendar.
The date of Eid al-Adha 2026 in the UK is expected to begin on Wednesday, May 27, also depending on moon sighting.
On this day, Muslims will gather for the Eid prayer and then perform the ritual of sacrificing a livestock animal (known as Qurbani). In the UK, any religious slaughter must be done in a licensed slaughterhouse instead of a residence. The animals chosen for the sacrifice (goat, cow, sheep, or camel) must be of a certain age and must be healthy and free from disease. 2
After the animal is slaughtered, it is distributed into three parts: your household, relatives and close friends, as well as charity to the poor.
🌙 Ramadan
Next, let's talk about Ramadan. It is not really a celebration, but it is a time when Muslims abstain from food, drink, marital relations, and smoking from dawn to sunset and cultivate self-discipline, patience, and gratitude while devoting themselves to God.
Ramadan 2026 is expected to begin on the evening of February 17 (Tuesday), and end on the evening of March 19 (Thursday), subject to the visibility of the crescent moon.
During this period, Muslims will only have two meals a day, which is Suhoor and Iftar. Suhoor is taken before dawn to give energy for the fasting hours ahead.
Iftar is taken during sunset, where Muslims will traditionally break fast with water and dates, followed by meals with family and their close friends.
Iftar gatherings are increasingly common in many countries to strengthen the social bond among the Muslim community.
Do you know that Ramadan is actually the name of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar? It is regarded as a significant time as the Quran was believed to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the same month, too.
🕋 Hajj
Hajj is the Islamic pilgrimage where Muslims travel from their own home country to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is an obligatory pilgrimage for every Muslim who is physically and financially capable to perform at least once, where they will circle the Kaaba seven times (counterclockwise) — in a ritual known as Tawaf.
The Hajj begins on the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijja, which is the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar, which is one of the sacred months in Islam. It ends on the 12th or 13th day of the same month.
Hajj 2026 in the UK is expected to begin from the evening of May 24 (Sunday) to May 29 (Friday).
Performing the Haji is a religiously significant act because it is one of the five pillars of Islam, and upon completion, it marks the removal of past sins. This is the reason why the Hajj is the largest annual religious pilgrimage in the world. 3
Source: Salam Getaway
🤲 Ashura
Ashura is celebrated on the 10th day of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It holds different religious significance to the two major religious sects of Islam, which are the Sunni and Shia.
For Sunni Muslims, the purpose of celebrating Ashura centres on the commemoration of Prophet Musa, who led the Israelites from Egypt. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is celebrated to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain at the Battle of Karbala.
Ashura 2026 is expected to be observed on Friday, June 26th. The exact date will be confirmed based on moon sighting.
🕌 Mawlid al-Nabi
The Mawlid al-Nabi is an annual celebration on the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal (third month of the Islamic calendar) to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
On this day, Muslims will participate in activities which reflect the Prophet's life, such as recitations of poetry, parades, processions, community gatherings to feed the poor, and sharing and reflecting on the life events of the Prophet.
✨ Laylat al-Qadr
Finally, the Laylat al-Qadr is a symbolic and meaningful night celebration among the Islamic community. It is celebrated on the last 10 days of Ramadan, where many believe that it's on the 27th night of Ramadan.
It is considered an important celebration because it is believed to be the night the Quran was first revealed, which is why this day is also known as the Night of Power/ Night of Glory. Muslims believe that their prayers will be answered and their sins will be forgiven on this day. 4
The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months.
As written in Quran, Surah Al-Qadr (97:3)
🌍 Cultural Variations in Celebrations
While Muslims worldwide observe festival dates using the shared principles of the Islamic calendar, regional celebrations may differ as each culture shapes these observances according to its distinct traditions. Perhaps the clearest variation is the food, highlighting the unique culinary traditions across regions.
Let's explore some examples revolving around Eid al-Fitr, one of the two major Islamic festivals.
📍Saudi Arabia
- Serving traditional dishes like kabsa and kunafa
- Dressing up in traditional clothes and enjoying traditions like camel racing and dances
📍Malaysia
- Serving local dishes such as rendang and ketupat
- Dressing up in new clothes (baju raya) and travelling back to the hometown (balik kampung) to reunite with families
📍United Kingdom
- Serving dishes that reflect the cuisine of different Muslim immigrants, like kebab and briyani
- After prayers, it's common to join community events or visit family members
😊 Significance of Islamic Festivals in Modern Times
Today, the celebration of these Islamic festivals goes beyond religious observances and extends to family, community, and societal bonding. These festivals are meant to be celebrated within a community rather than in solitude for these three main reasons:
- Strengthen and encourage spiritual unity
Muslims from different countries and cultures come together to reflect on their spiritual walk and encourage one another to draw closer to God.
- Create greater synergy for charity and good acts
Whether it's performing the Zakat, distributing the qurbani animal to the poor, or any community events, you'll benefit from having manpower and also solidarity from those who share the same values.
- Start afresh with new beginnings among loved ones
Different Islamic festivals throughout the year serve as a reminder of what matters: gratitude for what God has blessed you, reflecting on sacrifices and sufferings in the world, and also the importance of forgiveness and joy in relationships.
When you find yourself in a position to help someone, be happy because Allah is answering that person’s prayer through you.
Nouman Ali Khan, American Islamic preacher
We hope this article has enlightened you on how Muslim festivals are celebrated globally, and why they remain relevant in today's world. If you are interested in exploring this topic and also the Arabic language associated with these Muslim festivals, feel free to hire an experienced Arabic tutor at Superprof to kickstart your Arabic learning journey. All the best!
References
- Ali, M., & Duggal, H. (2022, July 29). Islamic New Year and the different calendars around the world. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/29/islamic-new-year-and-the-different-calendars-around-the-world
- Muslim Hands. (2016, August 9). Rules of Qurbani: All your questions answered. https://muslimhands.org.uk/latest/2016/08/qurbani-questions-answered-all-you-need-to-know
- Gateway, S. (2025, June 19). Saudi receives 1.67 million pilgrims for Hajj 2025. Salaam Gateway - Global Islamic Economy Gateway. https://salaamgateway.com/story/saudi-receives-167-million-pilgrims-for-hajj-2025
- Surah Al-Qadr - 1-5 - Quran.com. (n.d.). Quran.com. https://quran.com/al-qadr
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