Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are the two most important festivals in Islam, observed by Muslims around the world with prayer, charity and time spent with family.
While both are recognised as religious holidays, they mark different moments in the Islamic calendar and carry distinct meanings. As the Eid festivities approaches each year, questions often arise about what sets them apart.
Here’s a guide to the differences – and how each is celebrated.
Eid Al Fitr
The first of the two Eids on the Islamic calendar, Eid Al Fitr occurs on the first day of Shawwal and is to celebrate the conclusion of Ramadan. The name translates to “festival of breaking fast”, and it is a chance for those who observed the holy month to celebrate their devotion and discipline with fasting and praying.
The key aspects of Eid Al Fitr are Eid prayers, Zakat Al Fitr, festive meals, gatherings and new clothes. The occasion begins with Eid prayers, which begin shortly after sunrise. These are usually held in large open spaces, begin with a sermon and are often attended by a country's rulers and leaders.
Leading up to the prayer, Muslims are required to make a charitable offering called Zakat Al Fitr. It's a uniform amount, typically measured in food or its equivalent, given to the poor to enable them to celebrate Eid Al Fitr.
After prayers, worshippers put on new clothes to signify a new beginning in purity and gratitude. They then visit each other and gather in majlises to exchange Eid greetings. Children are given amounts of cash called eidiyah to spread joy among the young.
While the feasts put on during Eid Al Adha are bigger and more symbolic, Muslims still celebrate Eid Al Fitr with food, especially during the first breakfast after a month of fasting all day. Eid Al Fitr is typically observed over three days, with most of the celebrations taking part on the first day.
Eid Al Adha
The second Eid on the Islamic calendar, Eid Al Adha takes place on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. The name translates to the Festival of the Sacrifice as it commemorates the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command.
Eid Al Adha coincides with the end of the Hajj season, when worshippers travel to Makkah to observe the Islamic pilgrimage. Hajj is one of the greatest deeds in Islam, as it teaches patience and good ethics, and its rituals are said to bring a person closer to their creator.
Hajj starts on the 8th day of Dhu Al Hijjah. The 9th day is called Arafat day, during which pilgrims spend the day at Mount Arafat in Makkah. Muslims around the world fast on Arafat day. For pilgrims, there are still steps to completing their Hajj, but for Muslims not on the pilgrimage, the rituals of Eid can begin.
Much like Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha also begins with prayers at sunrise. There is no Zakat Al Fitr for Eid Al Adha, but worshippers are still encouraged to donate. This is usually done through the distribution of meat from the slaughtering of sheep or goats.
The symbolic sacrificial sheep is then used to cook the Eid Al Adha feast, and also distributed to the needy. Each country in the Muslim world has its own traditions when it comes to Eid Al Adha sacrifices, with some streamlining the process with the use of technology.
Family gatherings are a big part of Eid Al Adha, as relatives from far and wide visit one another. Together with Arafat day, Eid Al Adha typically lasts for three days with most of the festivities taking place on the first day.
Why the dates change every year
Both Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon. Because the lunar year is between 10 and 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, the dates of both Eids shift earlier each year.
The start of each Eid is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, which means official dates can vary slightly between countries.
