CAIRO (AP) – Muslims around the world bade farewell to the holy month of Ramadhan and started celebrating the holiday of Aidilftiri (Eid). Aidilfitri is typically greeted with joy and excitement and is marked with congregational prayers and festivities that usually include family visits, gatherings, outings and new clothes.
For some Muslims, this year’s Aidilftiri comes amid significant changes in their communities.
In Gaza, this is the second Eid since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza by launching a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of people. Earlier this month, Israel halted deliveries of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza.
The resumption of war changed the fortunes of Palestinians in Gaza who had started observing Ramadhan under a fragile ceasefire. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Syrians celebrate their first Eid since the end of more than half a century of the Assad family’s iron-fisted rule. The country’s first Ramadhan since the ouster of Bashar Assad, who was the president, saw many Syrians relieved, but has also witnessed a bloody and worrisome bout of violence amid a complex transition.
WHAT IS AIDILFITRI?
It’s an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadhan, the month when devout Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset. Ramadhan is a time for increased worship, charity, and good deeds. It also typically sees festive gatherings to break the fast.
Aidilfitri means the feast, or festival, of breaking the fast.
WHEN IS AIDILFITRI?
Islam follows a lunar calendar and so Ramadhan and Eid cycle through the seasons. The exact date may vary among countries and Muslim communities.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS?
In Indonesia, many people embark on an exodus to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday with loved ones in a homecoming tradition known locally as mudik.
In recent celebrations, Indonesians have packed airports or crammed into trains, ferries, buses and onto motorcycles as they poured out of major cities amid severe traffic congestion to return to their villages to celebrate the holiday with families.
Before the holiday, popular markets teem with shoppers buying clothes, shoes, cookies and sweets.
In Malaysia, Muslims also have a homecoming tradition for Aidilfitri. The first day usually begins with a morning prayer in the mosque, seeking forgiveness from family and friends, and visiting loved ones’ graves.
There’s an “open house” spirit that sees friends and families trading visits to celebrate Aidilftiri and enjoy traditional delicacies such as ketupat, rice cooked in a palm leaf pouch, and rendang, a meat dish stewed in spices and braised in coconut milk.
Older Muslims give money in green packets to children and guests who visit their homes.
In Egypt, families partake in Aidilfitri prayers amid a festive atmosphere. Many visit relatives, friends or neighbours and some travel to vacation spots. Children, usually wearing new outfits, receive traditional cash gifts known as eidiya. Making or buying cookies dusted with powdered sugar is another fixture of marking the holiday in the country.
