While they will visit their elders, relatives and friends on account of the bayram, they will also endeavor to make up for past mistakes and forgive those of others. Children, particularly those in Turkey, go from door to door collecting candy, chocolate, baklava, Turkish delight and -- very rarely -- pocket money, which never ceases to be the favorite.
The month of Ramadan, the most blessed of the 12 months in the Islamic calendar, has ended, leaving in its place the month of Shawwal, which begins with the holiday Eid al-Fitr (often abbreviated simply as Eid). This holiday is a three-day Muslim holiday that marks the end of the month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic term meaning “festivity” or “celebration” while Fitr means “to break the fast” and can also mean “nature,” from the word “fitrat.” On the first day of the celebration, observant Muslim families wake up very early and then, after praying the first of the daily prayers, eat a small meal, a symbolic act that reminds them that Ramadan is over. They then attend congregational prayers held specially for this occasion in mosques or, in places where mosques are not enough to hold the entire local male Muslim population, in large open areas or even stadiums. The prayer is made up of two cycles followed by a special Eid sermon. Worshippers greet and hug one another in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer in celebration of one another’s Eid. After the special prayer, the festivity commonly begins with visits to the homes of relatives and friends.
When the Prophet Mohammed emigrated to the city of Medina, there were two festivals celebrated there each year. On those days there were games and celebrations. The Prophet, who witnessed these, said, “Almighty God has allotted Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (the Festival of the Sacrifice) as more blessed than these two festivals.” Thus, since the beginning of the Age of Happiness, which is how Muslims refer to the time when the Prophet honored this world with his presence, the Islamic world has celebrated two religious festivals.
Muslims across world share in the great blessing of the tranquil and spiritual Eid morning. It is a joyous occasion with important religious significance, celebrating the increase in piety with which God blesses the world during the month of Ramadan. It is a day of forgiveness and moral victory as well as of brotherhood and unity. Muslims celebrate not only the end of fasting, but also thank God for the help and strength that He bestowed upon them throughout the month of fasting, during which they endured their fast with not only a physical but also a spiritual asceticism -- that is, they have controlled their stomachs, their tongues and their hearts, so they have successfully passed the test of servanthood. It is a time of giving and sharing. In many Muslim societies people get up early on Eid. If possible, they have a bath; if this is not possible, then they make wudu (ablutions) and put on clean garments. They walk to the mosque in an unhurried, sedate manner, remembering God and glorifying His Name.
Timing of Eid
The exact day on which Eid falls depends on the sighting of the new moon, which is only visible just after sunset. Most Muslims in non-Muslim countries check with local mosques or other members of the community to see if the moon has been sighted by authoritative parties, whereas those in Muslim countries check with the religious authorities and directorates. In some Muslim countries, like Malaysia, they use both sighting of the moon and astronomical calculation to verify the date, the calculation being only used to verify the sighting of the moon. Therefore, there may be regional differences in the exact date of Eid, with some Muslims fasting for 29 days and some for 30 days. This year for Sunni Muslims in Turkey, Europe, North Africa, North America and Middle East, the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated today.
Fasting on this day was forbidden by Prophet Mohammed. A Muslim is encouraged to rise early and partake of a light snack such as dates, as was the custom of the Prophet, before attending morning prayers in the mosque.
Common greetings in Arabic-speaking countries and communities around the world during this holiday are “Eid mubarak” (blessed Eid) or “Eid sa’id” (happy Eid). In addition, many countries have their own greetings based on local language and traditions.
Muslims dress in their best clothes (newly bought, if possible) either before or after the Eid prayer, which women are not required to attend. During the prayer, they recite the Takbir, “God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, There is no deity but God, God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest and all praise is due to God,” which is sung throughout Turkey in the maqam segâh as composed by the great Sufi composer, calligrapher and poet Buhûrîzâde Mustafa Itrî Efendi (d. 1712).
Before the Eid prayer begins every Muslim must pay Zakat al-Fitr, the alms for the month of Ramadan. This equates to about two kilograms of basic foodstuff (wheat, barley, dates, raisins, etc.), or its cash equivalent, and is usually collected at the mosque. This is distributed to needy local Muslims prior to the start of the Eid prayer. It can be given at any time during the month of Ramadan and is often given early, so the recipient can utilize it for Eid purchases. This is different from the obligatory charity, zakat, which is based on an individual’s actual wealth.
Muslims spend the three days of Eid thanking the Creator for all their blessings. Children are normally given gifts or pocket money. Eid is also a time for reconciliation. Feuds or disputes, especially between family members, are often settled during Eid by elders.
Eid in Turkey
In Turkey, where Ramadan is infused with cultural traditions (and where country-wide celebrations, religious and secular alike, are altogether referred to as Bayram), it is customary for people to greet one another with “Bayramınız mübarek olsun” (with the same meaning as “Eid mubarak”), or “Bayramınız kutlu olsun” (kutlu is ancient Turkish for the Arabic “mubarak”). It is a time for people to attend services, put on their best clothes (referred to as “bayramlık”, often purchased just for the occasion) visit all their loved ones (such as friends, relatives and neighbors) and pay their respects to the deceased with visits to cemeteries, where large, temporary bazaars of flowers, water (for watering the plants adorning a grave), and prayer books are set up for the three-day occasion. Municipalities all around the country organize public shows such as concerts or more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theatre or performances by the Mehter, the Janissary band that was founded during the days of the Ottoman Empire, as well as fundraising events for the poor. It is regarded as especially important to honor elderly citizens by kissing their right hand and placing it on one’s forehead. It is also customary for children to go around the neighborhood and wish everyone a happy bayram, for which they are awarded with candies, chocolates, traditional sweets such as baklava and lokum (Turkish delight), or a small amount of pocket money at every door. Some grandparents still give their grandchildren handkerchiefs or pairs of socks.
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