AID 2023. Eid al-Fitr corresponds to the feast of breaking the fast of Ramadan. We already know its theoretical date in France. Astronomical observations should confirm it (or not) by the end of the month. Key info.
[Updated March 27, 2023 4:47 PM] While the date of the Ramadan fast was formalized on March 21 (for a start on March 23), many believers are now wondering about the date of breaking the fast, that of of Eid al-Fitr. Closing the ninth month of the Hijri calendar, “the little feast” marks not only the end of the fast but also a great moment of sharing for the faithful, who also perform alms on this occasion.
Once the start date of Ramadan is known, there are two date options for the “End of Ramadan Festival”, since in the Islamic lunar calendar, a month lasts either 29 or 30 days. Eid al-Fitr 2023 / 1444 (current year in the Muslim calendar) could therefore take place on Friday April 21 or Saturday April 22, 2023. Each year, the precise date of the end of the fast, which will impact the daily lives of millions of Muslims practicing this tradition, varies and must be recorded by the Muslim authorities. Two methods exist to set the final date of Eid al-Fitr (more details here), knowing that the religious commission of the Grand Mosque of Paris uses both in a complementary way during the Night of Doubt / announcement. This year, the “Night of Doubt” will take place on Wednesday, April 19 according to the Grand Mosque of Paris, around 6 p.m. The announcement of the final date will be made at its conclusion, around 7 p.m. Astronomical calculations currently designate the Eid al-Fitr holiday as Saturday, April 22, 2023.
Eid-ul-Fitr is scheduled for April 21 or 22, 2023, the final date is yet to be confirmed. The day of Eid-el-Fitr is not determined at random, it actually corresponds to the first day of the month of Shawwal, which follows the month of Ramadan (ninth month of the Hijri calendar). However, in the Muslim calendar, it is the lunar cycle observed during the Night of Doubt (also called Night of Announcement) which dictates the passage from one month to another, the observation of the lunar body thus allowing to confirm the date of breaking the fast in the eyes of religious leaders.
The Muslim fast runs from sunrise to sunset for a whole month, that of Ramadan. Religious authorities therefore follow the lunar cycles to determine the date of the start of the fast and that of Eid-el-Fitr, which ends Ramadan and during which the faithful must pay Zakat al-Fitr , alms for the poorest. To observe the moon and confirm the transition from one month to another, a “Night of Doubt” always takes place on the 29th day of the current month: if a crescent moon (which marks the start of a new cycle) is visible, then the new month starts the day after the observation, otherwise the month extends one more day. In this case, if on the evening of the 29th day of the month of Ramadan the moon is observed, then Eid-el-Fitr will be celebrated the next day.
If the theological commission of the Great Mosque of Paris is based on the observation of the moon in addition to astronomical calculations, the French Council of the Muslim Worship (CFCM), representative body of Islam in France whose authority is currently in question, is based solely on astronomical calculations to determine the start and end dates of Ramadan in advance. These calculations fix the first day of the month of Shawwal of the Hijri year 1444 as Saturday, April 22, 2023. Will the Night of Doubt of the month of Ramadan confirm this date?
Also called “Aïd el-Seghir”, Eid el-Fitr then means “little party” in French (“Fitr” meaning “to eat, to have lunch” in Arabic). Feast of forgiveness and peace, it can last up to three days. Tradition has it that on this occasion, the practitioner pays zakat (alms intended for the poorest), which represents the donation of four times the content of two joined hands of food. Six additional days of fasting are traditionally practiced after the “breaking feast” of Eid al-Fitr: “the six days of chawwal”, named after the month following Ramadan in the “Hijri” calendar ( name of the Muslim calendar).
But beware, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr is not “just” a way to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It also symbolizes, for Muslim communities around the world, a great moment of sharing, peace and joy. Concretely, the feast of Eid al-Fitr is thus the occasion, usually, of great family meals, gifts, visits to relatives… During the festivities, Muslims also mutually exchange the wish of “Eid Mubarak”, “Happy Eid Day” in French. Finally, Eid al-Fitr is also called “sweet feast”. She therefore gives pride of place to desserts, once the morning prayer is over. Ftour, zlabia, gazelle horns or even chebakia, without forgetting the dates stuffed with marzipan… All these foodstuffs will be tasted for this celebration.
Before the Eid prayer, Muslims must have given Zakât al-fitr, the alms at the end of Ramadan. This can be offered in food or money for people in need. Indeed, to validate the efforts made during Ramadan, every believing Muslim must pay alms to the needy, as a mark of solidarity. The “zakat al-Fitr” indeed allows those who are in need to celebrate the feast of Eid like any Muslim, without having to beg on that day. Recently, the representative bodies of the Muslim faith in France set the amount of this alms at 7 euros per person. The person responsible for the family must pay it by paying it for each member of the family for whom he is responsible, including children and babies. A family of 5 with 3 children, even young children, must therefore pay for the end of this Ramadan the sum of 35 euros, in order to “purify” the fast.
The day of Eid al-Fitr is also special because of its specific morning prayer. According to the specialized site Al Kanz, this morning prayer of Eid al-Fitr theoretically takes place when the sun “rises above the horizon the length of a spear” (about three meters). In practice, the mosques set the time for collective prayer themselves. Eid al-Fitr is first and foremost a spiritually important day. It allows you to come back to learn the lessons of this month of fasting, to take stock of the good or bad deeds accomplished.
How to wish Eid al-Fitr? Which happy birthday messages to favor? The specialized site Assabile.com offers different formulas for Muslims and non-Muslims to wish each other a happy Eid al-Fitr at the end of the holy month of fasting for the faithful. Here is a selection of those messages:
