Do you know what the major Muslim holidays are? Well, now’s your chance to find out!
The most popular Islamic holidays are the two Eid festivals. The word “Eid” in Arabic means celebration. These are the only universally accepted celebrations in Islam.
The first Eid is called Eid Ul-Fitr (Celebration of the Breaking of the Fast). This holiday occurs after the month of Ramadan, and celebrates the end of this month of fasting. If you’re asking yourself “What is Ramadan?” don’t worry. You’re not alone.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Ramadan is not really a Muslim holiday. However it is a holy month. During this month, we fast everyday from dawn to sundown.
The second major Islamic holiday is Eid Ul Adha (The Celebration of the Sacrifice). This holiday celebrates the high point of the Hajj season when Muslims are making their pilgrimage to Mecca.
During this pilgrimage, we sacrifice a goat or sheep to commemorate the time Prophet Ibrahim, or Abraham (peace be upon him), nearly sacrificed his son Ismail, or Ishmael (peace be upon him).
Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha are the two major Muslim holidays. But there are others that are not as universally accepted.
Mawlid is the celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. This is celebrated in many Muslim countries. However, many Muslims believe that this is not a valid holiday since it wasn’t celebrated during the time of Prophet Muhammad.
Another holiday is Ashura. This holiday is primarily celebrated by the Shia sect of Islam. This is to commemorate the death of Hussayn Ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbalah.
For Sunni Muslims, the day of Ashurah is not really a holiday. However, many Sunni Muslims fast on this day, but the reason they fast is not related to Hussayn’s death.
These are all of the major holidays for Muslims. To learn more about the Islamic religion, visit Islamic Learning Materials.
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