The Two Eids: ‘Īd al-Fitr and ‘Īd al-Adhā, What to Do in Practice

Two festivals, two acts of worship completed

Islam has two major festivals each year. ‘Īd al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, falls on 1 Shawwāl, the day after Ramadan. ‘Īd al-Adhā, the festival of sacrifice, falls on 10 Dhū al-Hijja, during the pilgrimage. Each one crowns an act of worship: the month of fasting for the first, the first ten days of Dhū al-Hijja and the Hajj for the second.

The word عِيد (‘īd) evokes return: it is the day that comes back every year, with its joy and its rites. This joy is part of the religion, as shown by a scene told by ‘Ā’isha (may Allah be pleased with her):

The eve and the morning: the gestures of the sunna

The Quran links the end of Ramadan with proclaiming Allah’s greatness:

This is the origin of the takbīr repeated at home, on the way and at the mosque: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ (Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, lā ilāha illā Allāh, wa Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, wa lillāhi-l-hamd), “Allah is the greatest, there is no deity but Allah, and to Allah belongs all praise.” It is said from the evening before until the prayer for Eid al-Fitr, and until the end of the days of tashrīq (13 Dhū al-Hijja) for Eid al-Adhā, with differing opinions on the exact times.

On the morning of the festival, several gestures are recommended:

• performing the full ritual bath (ghusl), putting on your best clothes and, for men, wearing perfume;
• for Eid al-Fitr, eating a few dates, an odd number, before going out;
• for Eid al-Adhā, waiting rather until the end of the prayer to eat, as many scholars recommend;
• going to the prayer by one road and coming back by another, as the Prophet ﷺ did according to al-Bukhārī;
• bringing the whole family: al-Bukhārī and Muslim report that even women in their menstrual period came to witness the good and the supplications, staying apart from the prayer area.

The Eid prayer, step by step

The prayer is performed in a group, in the morning, often in the open air or in a large hall. It is short and accessible even to those just starting out.

To wish one another a happy festival, many say تَقَبَّلَ اللَّهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ (taqabbala Allāhu minnā wa minkum), “may Allah accept from us and from you,” or simply “‘Īd mubārak,” “blessed festival.”

Zakāt al-fitr: so that no one goes hungry that day

Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer, each family pays a small obligatory charity, the zakāt al-fitr.

Concretely:

• it is due for each member of the household, children included, and the head of the family pays it for those in his care;
• the sā‘ is a measure of volume, about 2.5 to 3 kg of a staple food (dates, wheat, rice, semolina…);
• it is given before the prayer, or one or two days before, as the Companions did;
• it goes to people in need, directly or through the mosque and associations.

Some commentators have seen in these verses an allusion to zakāt al-fitr followed by the Eid prayer:

‘Īd al-Adhā and the sacrifice

‘Īd al-Adhā recalls the submission of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him), ready to sacrifice his son before Allah redeemed him with an offering. What counts is not the meat, but piety:

A few practical landmarks:

• the sacrifice (udhiya) is a sheep or a goat for a household, or a share of a cow or a camel shared by up to seven;
• the animal must be of the required age and free of visible defects (sick, lame, one-eyed, very thin);
• it is slaughtered after the Eid prayer and during the following days;
• you eat from it, give some away and give some to the needy (22:36); dividing it into three thirds is a recommendation, not an obligation.

In France, slaughter must take place in an approved slaughterhouse: many families go through their mosque or an association, or delegate the sacrifice in another country for the benefit of poor families.

According to a hadith reported by Muslim, whoever intends to sacrifice avoids cutting his hair and nails from the beginning of Dhū al-Hijja. And those who are not on pilgrimage are invited to fast on the day of ‘Arafa, the eve of the Eid:

On the days of the festival themselves, however, one does not fast: the Prophet ﷺ forbade it, according to al-Bukhārī and Muslim.

With children: a happy memory

Eid is often a child’s first religious memory. Al-Bukhārī and Muslim report that on a festival day, Abyssinians were playing with their shields and spears, and the Prophet ﷺ let ‘Ā’isha watch them until she grew tired of it.

A few simple ideas:

• prepare the new clothes the evening before and decorate the house together;
• entrust the children with handing over the zakāt al-fitr, so that they think of others before celebrating;
• give a small gift, the ‘īdiyya of many families;
• visit grandparents, neighbors, someone who is alone or sick;
• smile, greet, share a meal.

Think of those for whom Eid is difficult: people in mourning, the sick, the isolated, new Muslims far from their families. A call or an invitation, and the festival becomes complete.

Going further

• The guide Fasting Ramadan, which prepares for Eid al-Fitr.
• Understanding the obligatory charity: Zakāt, understanding and calculating it.
• The story of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) and his son.
• The prayer times of your city, to plan the time of the Eid prayer.