Eid al-Fitr is Arabic for 'festival of the breaking of the fast,' and this year's celebrations will likely look a lot different.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to circle the globe, millions of Muslims around the world will celebrate one of their biggest religious festivals,Eid al-Fitr is Arabic for"festival of the breaking of the fast," and this year's celebrations, which begin the evening of May 23, will likely look a lot different due to the pandemic.
The festival marks the end of the Muslim holiday of, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset during Ramadan, which is a time for spiritual reflection, fulfillment and reaffirming of faith. The holiday begins with a greeting of either"Eid Mubarak" or"Blessed Eid," both of which can be translated to"have a blessed holiday."The timing of Eid al-Fitr is based on sighting of the crescent moon per the Islamic lunar calendar. It can be difficult to predict when the festival will occur in each country. While some Muslims wait to see the moon themselves, many either use the calculated time of the new moon, or base it on the declaration made in Saudi Arabia or Turkey.How will Eid celebrations be different amid coronavirus? Typically, Muslims gather at mosques and prayer areas in the morning to perform Eid Prayer and greet each other. Other traditions include visiting friends and relatives, hosting food parties and sharing sweets. This year, Muslim families isolated at home during the coronavirus quarantine will miss those communal traditions. Instead, many areFamilies make 'mini-mosques' at home amid coronavirus Home decorating for the holy month is not a new tradition, but it's taken on new significance this year because of the isolation wrought by the pandemic. Families want to keep the festive spirit of Ramadan, especially for children who look forward all year to the holiday. During Eid, children get new clothes, shoes and cash gifts called “Eidi” from their elders and relatives. Since mosques had to close their doors, many Islamic institutions and foundations opened more virtual spaces to help Muslims worship and offer guidance during the pandemic. The holiday is considered a time of forgiveness and of giving thanks to Allah for helping people to complete their spiritual fasting. Many Muslims display their thanks by giving donations and food to those less fortunate than themselves.
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