Eid is the festival held by Muslims to celebrate the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, where Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset every day.
Known as Eid ul-Fitr, meaning ‘Break of the fast’, it falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar.
Ramadan, a lunar month, lasts 29 or 30 days. This year it started on the evening of Wednesday, March 22, 2023, which means Thursday, April 20 is the 29th day and Friday, April 21 is the 30th day.
But how do you wish someone who is celebrating a ‘happy Eid’?
Here, FEMAIL explains what you need to know about Eid and how you can support your loved ones who are celebrating.
Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid ul-Fitr tonight and tomorrow, the end of the lunar month of Ramadan (Photo: Street in Coventry)
How do I wish someone a happy Eid?
If you want to wish someone you know a happy Eid, you can say, “Eid mubarak.”
When translated into English, it means ‘blessed festival’ or ‘blessed feast’. It is the most common way people express their celebration to family and friends.
Usually the polite response to ‘Eid mubarak’ is to say ‘Khair Mubarak’, with which the person wishes goodwill in response.
Another way to wish someone a happy Eid is to say: ‘Eid sa’id’
And some people say Jazak Allah Khair to celebrate the end of Ramadan. This translates to: ‘May Allah reward you with goodness.’
Things you MUST NOT say to someone who has finished Ramadan
In addition to knowing how to respectfully wish someone a happy Eid, it’s also worth knowing what things you shouldn’t say.
You must have lost weight!
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and eat larger meals in the evening.
They do not eat or drink during the day during the period of 29-30 days (however long the month of Ramadan lasts).
However, the purpose of Ramadan is not to lose weight. It is about honoring the Islamic teaching of equality between rich and poor and it is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Bet you’re hungry now!
Any hunger or thirst one feels while practicing Ramadan is personal, and it is all part of their own experience of the religious practice.
Moreover, fasting is not about ‘starving’, as Muslims do eat during Ramadan – just not during the day.
Therefore, it is probably not very useful, accurate or funny to joke about someone’s appetite at the end of the month of Ramadan.
Happy Eid al-Adha
Some people who want to wish Muslims a happy Eid may say, “Happy Eid al-Adha.”
However, this is not entirely correct – because Eid al-Adha is a completely different Islamic festival.
This year it falls between Wednesday, June 28, 2023 and Sunday, July 2, 2023.
Eid al-Adha marks a story in the Quran about Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to God.
But just before he made the sacrifice, God sent him a ram to kill instead of his son.
Let’s have a drink to celebrate!
This one should be pretty obvious to most people, but it’s not entirely appropriate to ask people celebrating Eid to go out for a drink.
Practicing Muslims don’t drink alcohol, and while they may want to celebrate with you, there are many ways you can invite them to do so without the booze involved.
In Islam, the consumption of alcohol is considered harmful, as it is forbidden.
The Quran contains a verse that refers to intoxicants as “the work of Satan.”