Dubai: Muslims all over the world are preparing to welcome the short festival. The believers are preparing to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting.
Eid-ul-Fitr
Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. Eid-ul-Fitr (The Little Feast) is celebrated to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijri calendar year. The minor festival marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar that comes after the month of Ramadan, is celebrated as Eid-ul-Fitr or the short festival.
Arabic months usually have 29 or 30 days. If the new moon is sighted after sunset on the evening of 29th of Ramadan, then 29 fasts will be completed and the short festival will be celebrated the next day.
Ramadan fasting
It is believed that Prophet Muhammad received his first vision of the Holy Quran in the holy month of Ramadan. During the holy month of Ramadan, the believers devote themselves to prayers day and night, giving up food without even drinking water from dawn to dusk. It is believed that fasting in Ramadan is to bring closer to God and to know the cost of hunger. The month of Ramadan is considered a time to renounce material pleasures and draw closer to God.
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Believers celebrate the short festival after thirty days of fasting by wearing new clothes, preparing sweets, giving alms and visiting relatives and friends. Most of the believers choose this month to distribute Zakat, which is one of the basic acts of Islam. In addition to Zakat, believers also do a lot of optional charity. It is believed that charity for poor people known as Fitr Zakat should be performed before Eid prayers.
This time, except for Oman, the fasting started a day earlier than in Kerala. Tomorrow or the next day will be Eid in the Gulf countries. This time the festival will be celebrated on Tuesday or Wednesday in places including Kerala, which started fasting a day late.
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated according to the sighting of the new moon in the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. Elaborate celebrations are planned for the minor festival in the Gulf countries. Fireworks will be set off at 9pm this time to celebrate Eid in all parts of Saudi Arabia. There are fireworks in Jeddah for two days. Dramas performed by many talents and art groups from different Arab countries will be staged.
Public and private sector employees in the Gulf countries also get extended holidays for Eid. This time, the ministry has clarified that there will be a four-day holiday for Saudi private sector organizations from April 9.
The UAE government has announced a week-long short festive holiday for public sector employees. If weekend holidays are also taken into account, a total of nine days long leave will be received. Holidays will be available from Monday, April 8 to Sunday, April 14. Working hours are from April 15.
Those working in the private sector in the UAE get four days of festive leave. Ramadan will be available from Monday 29 (April 8) to Shawwal 3. 4 or 5 paid holidays are available depending on the month of birth.
Holidays in Kuwait from April 9 to 14. The working day will resume from Sunday, April 14. Five days leave will be given on Friday and Saturday as public holidays. Government ministries, agencies and public institutions will not function on these days. But institutions for emergency purposes will function.
Public and private sector employees will have a holiday in Oman from Tuesday 9th to 11th April. The working day will resume on Sunday, April 14 after the holiday. Five days of leave including weekend holidays will be available. A holiday has been declared in Qatar for the minor festival. Amiri Diwan announced the holiday. Ministries, other government institutions and public institutions will be closed from Sunday, April 7 to Monday, April 15. The working day will resume on Tuesday, April 16.
