Islamic holidays
| Part of a series on |
| Islam |
|---|
 |
Beliefs
|
Practices
|
Texts and laws
|
History
|
Culture and society
|
Related topics
|
|
There are two official holidays in Islam: Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
Eid Al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan (a month of fasting during daylight hours), and Muslims may invoke zakat (charity) on the occasion which begins after the new moon sighting for the beginning of Shawal. The Eid al-Fitr celebration begins with prayers the morning of the 1st of Shawal, and is followed by breakfast, and often celebratory meals throughout the day.
Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah when Hajj (pilgrimage) takes place, and lasts for four days. Muslims may invoke an act of zakat and friendship by the slaughter of a sheep and distribute its meat in 3 parts: among family, friends, and the poor. Muslims are also encouraged to be especially friendly and reach out to one another during this period.
Both of the holidays occur in the lunar based Islamic calendar which is different from the solar based Gregorian calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the synodic period of the Moon's revolution around the Earth, approximately 291⁄2 days. The Islamic calendar alternates months of 29 and 30 days (which begin with the new moon). Twelve of these months make up an Islamic year, which is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. The Gregorian calendar is based on the orbital period of the Earth's revolution around the Sun, approximately days.
Contents
1 Islamic Eid holidays
2 Religious practices
2.1 Fasting
2.2 Pilgrimage
2.2.1 Hajj
2.2.2 Umrah
3 Dates of holidays and other days of note
4 References
5 Further reading
6 External links
Islamic Eid holidays
Religious practices
Fasting
Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when the Quran was revealed to Muhammad.[1] Fasting is a purifying experience so that Muslims can gain compassion and deepen their faith in Allah.[2]
The act of fasting represents the condition experienced by the needy, who although already hungry must also fast for Ramadan. Muslims fast by denying themselves food, water and all related sexual activity with their spouses, but people with chronic diseases or unhealthy conditions such as diabetes, and children are exempt from fasting. Travelers, and women who are menstruating or nursing a baby, are exempt from fasting as well during their special situation but are required to fast later. A person's observance of fasting can be for naught if religiously forbidden acts are made, such as Ghibah (backbiting others) and deceiving others.[citation needed]
Pilgrimage
Hajj
Umrah
Dates of holidays and other days of note
| Hijri date | 1440 AH | 1441 AH | 1442 AH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamic New Year | 1 Muḥarram | 11 Sep. 2018 | 31 Aug. 2019 | 20 Aug. 2020 |
| Ashura | 10 Muḥarram | 20 Sep. 2018 | 9 Sep. 2019 | 29 Aug. 2020 |
Arba'een[a] | 20 Ṣafar[b] | 30 Oct. 2018 | 19 Oct. 2019 | 8 Oct. 2020 |
Eid-e-Shuja'[c] (Eid-e-Zahra) | 9 Rabī‘ al-Awwal | 17 Nov. 2018 | 6 Nov. 2019 | 26 Oct. 2020 |
Mawlid an-Nabī ('Birthday of the Prophet' [Muhammad])[d] | 12 Rabī‘ al-Awwal (Sunni) | 20 Nov. 2018 | 9 Nov. 2019 | 29 Oct. 2020 |
| 17 Rabī‘ al-Awwal (Shia) | 25 Nov. 2018 | 14 Nov. 2019 | 3 Nov. 2020 | |
| Birthday of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib[a] | 13 Rajab | 20 Mar. 2019 | 8 Mar. 2020 | 25 Feb. 2021 |
| Laylat al-Mi'raj | 27 Rajab[e] | 3 Apr. 2019 | 22 Mar. 2020 | 11 Mar. 2021 |
| Laylat al-Bara'at | 15 Sha‘bān | 20 Apr. 2019 | 8 Apr. 2020 | 28 Mar. 2021 |
| Birthday of Muhammad al-Mahdī[c] | 15 Sha‘bān | 20 Apr. 2019 | 8 Apr. 2020 | 28 Mar. 2021 |
| First day of Ramaḍān | 1 Ramaḍān | 6 May 2019 | 24 Apr. 2020 | 13 Apr. 2021 |
| Laylat al-Qadr | 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, or 29 Ramaḍān[f] | between 24 May & 3 June 2019 | between 12 & 22 May 2020 | between 1 & 11 May 2021 |
Chaand Raat[g] | 29 or 30 Ramaḍān[h] | 3 June 2019 | 23 May 2020 | 12 May 2021 |
| Eid al-Fitr | 1 Shawwāl | 4 June 2019 | 24 May 2020 | 13 May 2021 |
| Hajj | 8–13 Dhū al-Ḥijja | 9–14 Aug. 2019 | 29 July – 3 Aug. 2020 | 18–23 July 2021 |
| Day of Arafah | 9 Dhū al-Ḥijja | 10 Aug. 2019 | 30 July 2020 | 19 July 2021 |
| Eid al-Adha | 10 Dhū al-Ḥijja | 11 Aug. 2019 | 31 July 2020 | 20 July 2021 |
Eid al-Ghadeer[a] | 18 Dhū al-Ḥijja | 19 Aug. 2019 | 8 Aug. 2020 | 28 July 2021 |
Eid al-Mubahalah[a] | 24 Dhū al-Ḥijja | 25 Aug. 2019 | 14 Aug. 2020 | 3 Aug. 2021 |
[3][4]
^ abcd Primarily observed by Shias.
^ Observed 40 days after Ashura.
^ ab Primarily observed by Twelver Shias.
^ Not observed by some Sunnis.
^ There is some disagreement about this date; see Isra and Mi'raj.
^ Most often observed on 23 Ramaḍān by Shias and 27 Ramaḍān by Sunnis; see Laylat al-Qadr.
^ Primarily observed in South Asia.
^ Observed on the last evening of Ramaḍān; see Chaand Raat.
Some Gregorian dates may vary slightly from those given, and may also vary by country. See Islamic calendar.
References
^ Reza, Aslan, (2011). No god but God : the origins and evolution of Islam (1st ed.). New York: Delacorte Press. pp. 118–119. ISBN 9780385739757. OCLC 614990718..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Molly., Aloian, (2009). Ramadan. New York: Crabtree. ISBN 0778742857. OCLC 227911610.
^ "Special Islamic Days". IslamicFinder. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
^ "Islamic Calendar". IslamicFinder. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
Further reading
- Leaman, Oliver, "Festivals of Love", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol I, pp. 197–199.
External links
The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia (with date converter valid from 1937 to 2077)
Islam topics | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outline of Islam | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
 Islam portal ·  Category | |||||||||||||
