Eid al-Fitr 2027
Eid al-Fitr 1448 AH is expected to fall around 9 March 2027, marking the end of Ramadan — the exact date depends on the sighting of the new moon at the close of Ramadan and is confirmed only shortly beforehand.
Eid al-Fitr — "the festival of breaking the fast" — marks the end of Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month that follows it in the Islamic calendar. Because it's tied directly to the sighting of the moon that ends Ramadan, its date is only confirmed a day or two in advance, once local or regional moon-sighting committees announce whether Ramadan has completed 29 or 30 days.
The day begins with a specific, recommended sequence: eating something (traditionally dates, an odd number if possible) before the Eid prayer, in contrast to Eid al-Adha where eating is delayed until after the prayer — a distinction some new Muslims find worth noting, since the two Eids' morning routines are opposite on this specific point. Zakat al-Fitr, a smaller, fixed charitable obligation distinct from the annual zakat on wealth, is due before the Eid prayer as well — it is meant to be given in time to allow those in need to also share in the day's celebration, which is part of why it's timed before rather than after the prayer.
The Eid prayer itself (Salat al-Eid) is performed in congregation, typically in an open area or a large hall to accommodate the full community, and consists of two rakahs with additional takbirs (declarations of "Allahu Akbar") beyond what's said in the daily prayers — seven extra in the first rakah, five in the second, according to the most commonly followed method, though the specific count varies slightly between schools of thought. Unlike the five daily prayers, there is no adhan or iqamah called before the Eid prayer.
Beyond the prayer, the day is marked by visiting family, giving and receiving gifts (especially to children, often called Eidi in many cultures), wearing new or best clothes, and a general end to the restraint of the fasting month — a shift in tone the tradition treats deliberately, since fasting on the day of Eid itself is explicitly prohibited, one of only a small number of days in the calendar where fasting is not permitted at all.
Frequently asked
Expected around 9 March 2027, the day after Ramadan's final day — confirmed only once the moon sighting for the end of Ramadan is announced.
No — fasting on the day of Eid al-Fitr is prohibited, one of the few days in the Islamic calendar where fasting is explicitly not allowed.
A fixed, obligatory charitable payment given before the Eid prayer, separate from annual zakat on wealth — meant to allow those in need to also participate in the celebration.