When is Eid al-Fitr 2025, and what is it?

This year, millions of Muslims across the globe will be gathering to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a festival that marks the end of Ramadan, a significant event in the Islamic calendar.

Known as the ‘festival of breaking the fast’, this holiday falls on a different date every year of the Arabic calendar, based on the first sighting of the new moon. 

In 2025, Eid al-Fitr is expected to fall on March 30th, 2025, or 1 Shawwal 1446. This is subject to a slight deviation depending on the moon sighting. Stick with us to learn more about this holiday and its significance. 

What is Eid al-Fitr?

After a month of fasting during daylight hours, Eid al-Fitr provides families and friends a chance to gather and celebrate the end of Ramadan.

During this celebration, friends, families, and communities gather together to indulge in food, exchange gifts, and wear their newest, finest clothing after abstaining from the previous month. 

In addition to showing love and appreciation to loved ones, Muslims take this time to express gratitude to Allah for helping them remain strong and dedicated throughout Ramadan. 

Prophet Muhammad first established Eid ul-Fitr in Madinah, 624 EC, when he witnessed people dedicating two days to celebration and entertainment.

How long is Eid al-Fitr?

Depending on the country, this celebration lasts between one and three days, beginning at sunset on the night of the first crescent moon sighting.

Eid is celebrated during the first three days of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar.

In the UK and US, Muslims typically take one day off work or school to celebrate with their community. However, Muslim countries tend to celebrate this festival for three days in a row, as Eid is classed as a public holiday.

Why is Eid al-Fitr significant?

Eid al-Fitr is significant in Muslim culture for many reasons, one of which is that it’s a reminder of everything that was achieved during Ramadan. 

During Eid, Muslims can relax and express gratitude for all of the blessings they receive. They can also ask for forgiveness for their wrongdoings and commit to the personal growth and faith they worked on during Ramadan.

Similar to Ramadan, Eid is a time for giving charity and kind words and actions toward loved ones. It’s a time to strengthen familial bonds, show compassion, and give support to people less fortunate.

Through this, Muslims can achieve zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam. This is a key obligation during Eid, where charity is given to purify the soul and care for others, abiding by the wishes of Allah.

Not only does this celebration bring loved ones together, but it unites Muslims across the globe, sharing in their joy and faith as one. 

How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated?

During Eid, Muslims greet each other by saying "Eid Mubarak," which translates to "Blessed Eid." Muslims are encouraged to increase dhikr (the remembrance of Allah) by praying and giving thanks.

On the day(s) of this holy celebration, friends, families, and communities get together, completing various actions and activities to strengthen their faith and gratitude. This includes:

• Buying new clothes and decorations: To celebrate the end of Ramadan, families will buy new clothes to prepare for a fresh start, including Eid Abayas and outfits designed specially for this holy day. Banners, lights, and floral arrangements are also hung around the home.
• Enjoying delicious meals: Muslims gather together to enjoy a feast of traditional dishes and sweets, breaking the fast. It’s forbidden to fast on the day of Eid.
• Praying Eid prayer: Muslims gather together at mosques or outdoors to pray Salat al-Eid after sunrise. This is followed by a sermon (khutbah) and collective supplication. Zakat al-Fitr, a charitable tax, is given before prayer by the head of the family.
• Spending time with family and gifting relatives: After prayer, families gather to enjoy each other's company, share food (such as biryani and baklava), and give gifts as a gesture of love. Children are given Eidi, which usually involves money or sweets.
• Festivals and fairs: Local festivals or fairs are organised in many countries, such as the Middle East, the UK, Southeast Asia, and America. These include various food, games, fireworks, and performances. In some countries, women and girls apply henna designs to their hands to celebrate.
• Sharing and charity: In addition to Zakat, many communities organise charity events or meals for those in need, ensuring everyone can enjoy the festivities.
• Increased worship and Du’a: Additional acts of worship, such as making sincere du'a (supplications) and practising sunnah acts of worship, are encouraged for Muslims.

When making your way to and from prayer (salat al-Eid), it’s the Sunnah of the Prophet to travel home by a different route than which you came. 

The symbolism of Eid-ul-Fitr

In Islam, Eid al-Fitr symbolises gratitude, renewal, unity, and generosity. During Ramadan, Muslims learn to be patient and show each other grace, which they carry into this new beginning.

Eid is a reward for completing fasting, representing the peace and bliss experienced in the afterlife if one follows the words and teachings of Allah.

This deepens feelings of joy and relief, allowing Muslims to focus on all of life's blessings and share them with loved ones. Overall, Eid serves as a reminder of hope, inspiring Muslims to uphold the virtues of empathy, compassion, and faith all year long.

Who Celebrates Eid al-Fitr in the UK?

In 2021, it was estimated that 6.0% of the UK's population, totalling around 3.9 million individuals, celebrated Eid in the UK (and this number has only grown in recent years!)

Large crowds congregate for prayers and group celebrations in places like Birmingham, which has the highest percentage of Muslims in the UK outside of London (21.8%). Due to this, Birmingham offers various communities for Muslims to come together and celebrate their culture as one.

Thousands of Muslims attend popular events, such as the Birmingham Eid celebration, one of the biggest in Europe, to celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Cities such as London, Manchester, Bradford, and Leicester also have large Muslim populations. 

More than a million Muslims live in London alone, and thousands of worshippers gather at large mosques, like the East London Mosque, for the Eid prayer.