Eid al-Fitr(عيد الفطر)

Eid al-Fitr falls on the 1st day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, immediately after the end of Ramadan. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the Gregorian date shifts approximately 10 to 11 days earlier each year.

Eid al-Fitr, meaning 'Festival of Breaking the Fast,' is an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. It is a time of communal prayers, feasting, gift-giving, and charity (Zakat al-Fitr), celebrating the completion of a month of devotion.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated across the Muslim world, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and India. It is observed by approximately 1.8 billion Muslims globally.

Yes, Eid al-Fitr is a public holiday in Muslim-majority countries, where typically 1 to 3 days are designated as official public holidays. In countries with significant Muslim populations such as India, it is also a gazetted public holiday.

Traditions include performing the special Eid prayer (Salat al-Eid) in the morning, wearing new or best clothes, visiting family and friends, giving gifts to children (Eidi), paying Zakat al-Fitr (charity) before the prayer, and sharing elaborate meals of sweets such as ma'amoul, baklava, and sheer khurma.