Id al-Fitr, << IHD uhl FIHT uhr >> , also spelled Eid al-Fitr, is the first of the two major festivals in Islam. The other major festival is Id al-Ad-ha (also spelled Eid al-Adha). Id al-Fitr takes place during the first three days of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. It moves backward through the seasons, because the Islamic calendar is based on the moon. That makes the Islamic year much shorter than the solar year. Id al-Fitr is also called the smaller festival, in comparison with Id al-Ad-ha, which lasts four days. In Turkey, Id al-Fitr is called the sweets festival.
Id al-Fitr begins on the day after the month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset. Muslims celebrate their accomplishment of the monthlong fast by offering gifts and charity and sharing festive meals. Id al-Fitr means Feast of Fast-Breaking in Arabic.
In the morning of the first day of Id al-Fitr, Muslims gather in open spaces or in a mosque an hour after sunrise to perform a special community festival prayer service, which includes a special prayer called the salat al-id.
The three days of the festival are filled with visits and meals shared with family, friends, and neighbors. Children receive gifts.
See also Calendar (The Islamic calendar) ; Id al-Ad-ha ; Ramadan .
