They may also visit a mosque or hold a festive dinner at the White House to mark the occasion.
The US president traditionally issues an official Eid greeting. The Hadith, a collection of texts about the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, states: “Give gifts to one another, you will love each other.” Presidential Eid Greeting GiftsĪ favorite among children, Eidi or Eidiya is the tradition of exchanging gifts on Eid al-Fitr. Many US Muslims are culturally linked to Arab countries in the Middle East and Africa.īut no matter the culture, many of the dishes served on Eid al-Fitr are sweet, so the occasion is also known as the Sugar Feast. In each family, the food usually reflects the cultural background and unique family traditions. In fact, the Quran forbids fasting on this day. FoodĪs a culmination of a month-long fast, a festive meal with a range of mouthwatering dishes is one of the most cherished features of Eid. Several organizations in the US also offer the option to make online donations. This can be a donation of food or money to the poor to enable them to take part in Eid celebrations. Muslims are expected to give to charity on the occasion of Eid. In Washington DC, the Capitol Hill lawn has traditionally been a place where thousands of worshippers gather during Eid. In cities with a sizeable Muslim population, such as New York and Philadelphia, people may congregate in parks or other public spaces. The day of Eid usually starts with communal prayer at the local mosque or another communal space, led by the local Imam. So, how exactly do American Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr? With Muslims from so many different backgrounds residing in the US, Eid customs vary from one community and family to the next-but there are some common features. What is Eid al-Adha? Prayer, Charity, and Sweet Dishes In the country’s Muslim communities, you are likely to see people dressed up nicely, congregating for communal prayer, hugging each other, enjoying a festive meal together, and wishing each other Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid). More than 3 million Muslims live in the United States, and for them, Eid al-Fitr is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. It is thought of as Allah’s (God’s) reward for completing the task. This is why the holiday is also called the Festival of Breaking the Fast. People celebrate having accomplished the Ramadan fast (sawm), one of the most important and challenging religious duties for Muslims. It is observed on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. On the day of Eid al-Fitr (also spelled Eid ul Fitr), Muslims in the United States and worldwide mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. However, public schools in some areas close on the day. ©/Edwin Tan Is Eid al-Fitr a Public Holiday?Įid al-Fitr is not a public holiday in the US. It’s a festive occasion and one of the major observances in the Islamic calendar.Įid al-Fitr is a time to celebrate together with family and friends. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Business Date to Date (exclude holidays).Besides Christmas, there are no public religious holidays, but there has been a push in recent years for public school systems to recognize Muslim holidays as they would with Catholic or Jewish holidays 8. The significance of each holy day varies between individuals, families, and communities 8. There is two official, major holidays and a few other holy days 7. Muslims celebrate Islamic holidays in the US in the same way as they are observed throughout the world 6. For the most part, Muslims remain a small yet important group in the US 5. However, the terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001 by Islamic terrorist group Al-Qaeda has caused a shift in the political landscape with special attention toward Muslim groups 5. For the most part, they are fully integrated, middle-class citizens 5. Because of the large amounts of immigration from around the world, there are many various Muslim communities from different countries and schools of thought 4. The US includes one of the most diverse Islamic populations worldwide 4. This accounts for only 1% of the population 3. While it is largely unclear when Islam first arrived in the country, there are approximately 3.3 million Muslims currently living in the United States 2. Practitioners strive to follow the five pillars established in the Qur'an 1. Islam is a religion founded in the 7th century by Muhammad 1.
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