The month of Ramadan is coming to an end, and Muslims around the world will be celebrating the end of their month of fasting. They expectantly turn their eyes to Eid al-Fitr, three days of feasting and celebrating.

We will look at what happens during Eid al-Fitr and how we, as Christians, can express our love to our Muslim neighbors during their special holiday.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

“Eid” means feast in Arabic, and “Fitr” means breaking the fast, so it is the Feast of Breaking the Fast. 

Eid al-Fitr is a three-day Islamic holiday that all Muslims in the world, currently 1.97 billion, look forward to every year. This feast culminates after the Ramadan fasting month.

Ramadan is supposedly the month when the first verses of the Quran were “given” to Muhammad by an angel, and when Muhammad made his migration from Medina to Mecca. Muslims traditionally believe that at the end of this journey, Muhammad celebrated, marking the first Eid al-Fitr.

(For more details on Ramadan read this post)

Families and communities come together and enjoy large meals. Some Muslims save up all year to afford food for the Eid al-Fitr parties. Favorite dishes include an entire lamb roasted and served with rice and nuts, fresh salads, followed by a variety of fruits and various filo dough desserts and puddings.

In addition to food, Eid al-Fitr is a time where Muslim families come together and exchange presents, much like Christian families do during Christmas! There are special community events and parties, like picnics, merry-go-rounds set up in villages for kids to enjoy, and lots of music. Various cultures and countries have their own special traditions, starting from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, passing through Africa, and all the way to Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

There are special rules for Eid al-Fitr, including a special prayer that Muslims must pray. For Muslims who might have missed a day of fasting and must make it up after Ramadan, they are forbidden from fasting on these days.

How can you connect with your Muslim friend during Eid al-Fitr?

Hospitality is such a highly valued practice in the Islamic world. Now that fasting is over, you can reach out to your Muslim friend and invite them to your house, to a restaurant, or to a picnic for a meal! This is a great way to reconnect after such a heavy religious month for them. You can learn more about loving your Muslim friend through hospitality in this post.

If your Muslim friend invites you over for part of their Eid al-Fitr festivities, feel free to accept! This opens doors for you and your Muslim friend to grow closer and give you an insight into their family and what is important for them.

One of the best ways to show your Muslim friend that you care about them is to give them a gift! In honor of their celebrations, you can take them a platter of halal-friendly treats or a plant to decorate their home.

In addition to gifts, you can ask them these questions to start a conversation about their traditions:

• What do you enjoy during Eid al-Fitr?
• Are there any special practices you do during this time to get closer to Allah and do you feel they work?
• Now that you fasted Ramadan and celebrated the Feast, what is next in your relationship with the Creator?
• Did fasting bring up any questions you want to explore further in your faith?

Prayer for your Muslim friend during Eid al-Fitr

Dear Lord, please speak to my Muslim friend’s heart during their celebration. Please create within  them a hunger for a deep relationship with you and give me the opportunity to speak the Gospel into their life! Amen.