Muslims have been and praying for a month. They went without food or drink from sunup to sundown. It was for the holy month of Ramadan. That month just ended. People celebrated with a holiday. It’s called Eid al-Fitr!
Eid al-Fitr means “festival of breaking the fast.” The holiday starts at different times, depending on the Moon. It can last for three days.
Muslims go from fasting to feasting! They come together to eat, pray, and give thanks. Some cities hold festivals. Kids play with balloons. Older family members may give gifts or money to children. People wear new clothes and eat sweets. They often use a dye called henna to put designs on their skin.
There were Eid celebrations all over the world. Huge groups prayed together. There were crowds at . People met in parks in Italy and England. They filled a street in Cairo, Egypt. And they packed into a stadium in Doha, Qatar. In Indonesia, Muslims prayed at beaches and riversides.
Many leaders shared messages for Eid al-Fitr. King Salman of Saudi Arabia wished all countries “peace and .” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada shared a message too. “Eid is a time for faith,” he said. “A time for traditions and community. And a time for joy and happiness.”
U.S. President Joe Biden honored Muslim Americans. “They are in labs and on factory floors,” he said. “They are artists and caregivers. They are teachers and firefighters and community members.”
Biden and Trudeau ended with a phrase that means “blessed Eid.” They said, “Eid Mubarak!”
Updated April 21, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
