EID MUBARAK

EID MUBARAK to all our Muslim students, staff and members of our community.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of the month of Shawwal, which follows Ramadan as the 10th month of the lunar-based Islamic calendar.

Like the start of Ramadan, the date of Eid is established by the sighting of the crescent moon, which generally appears one night after the new moon, and marks the onset of the month of Shawwal, the tenth of the Islamic Hijri calendar.

This year’s moon sighting in Saudi Arabia has been prected for either Tuesday 11 May or Wednesday 12 May, with the Eid festival following a day later. The majority of Muslims in the UK are celebrating Eid today.

Eid al-Fitr’s name comes from an Arabic term which translates as the “feast of breaking the fast” and, although not a public holiday in the UK, it is for many Muslim countries.

In normal years, it is traditional for Muslims to gather together in a park to celebrate breaking their fast, with large-scale events and festival food (particularly sweet treats), prayer and stalls.

However, due to the Covid-19 restrictions still in place in the UK and other countries, the communal aspect of Eid will be hampered this year.

After Eid some Muslims decide to fast for the six days that follow. This stems from the Islamic belief that a good deed in Islam is rewarded 10 times, thus fasting for 30 days during Ramadan and six days during Shawwal creates a year’s worth of goodwill.