Muslims pray at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National
Muslims pray at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National
Muslims pray at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National
Muslims pray at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National

Now Ramadan has started, when is Eid Al Fitr?


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE will most likely celebrate the end of a month of fasting on the weekend of June 15.

Eid Al Fitr marks one of two holy feasts celebrated by Muslims worldwide. The first day of Eid Al Fitr – which translates in Arabic to the feast of breaking the fast – coincides with the first day of the lunar calendar month of Shawwal.

The official date is subject to the moon sighting. Official committees from every Islamic country will begin searching for a glimpse of the new crescent moon on the eve of the 30th day of Ramadan.

If they spot the new moon, then Ramadan will end at 29 days and the following morning will be announced as the first day of Shawwal – Eid.

If the crescent cannot be seen, then the following day remains Ramadan and Eid will, by default, begin the day after that.

Celebrations begin with Eid prayers at fajr – or dawn. The prayers are always performed in a group and involve particular rituals and a sermon unique to other prayers practised by Muslims.

Muslims are advised to follow the tradition of Prophet Mohammed and bathe before Eid prayers, wearing perfume and new clothes. Muslims see the prayers as a chance to exchange Eid greetings and meet neighbours, family and friends.

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Read more on Ramadan 2018:

Ramadan FAQs: all you need to know about the holy month in the UAE

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Muslims then celebrate Eid Al Fitr for three days by visiting families and loved ones. More recently, it has also become common practice to use the Eid holiday to travel or carry out extracurricular activities.

Eid Al Fitr holidays usually last three days for the public sector and two days for the private sector.

Since Eid is likely to fall on Friday or Saturday, the private sector may not be given any extra days off. The final decision will be made by the UAE Government closer to the time.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here

Fatherland

Kele Okereke

(BMG)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Eyasses squad

Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)

Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)  

Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)

Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)

Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)

Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)

Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)         

Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)