The day after the last fast
There's a particular feeling on the last evening of Ramadan: relief, and a small sadness that it's ending. Then the crescent is seen, or the calendar says it's time, and the phone starts ringing.
Eid al-Fitr is the first day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan. When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah and found people with two days of festivity, he said Allah had given them two better days, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr (Abu Dawud). The name means the festival of breaking the fast, and fasting on this day isn't allowed (Bukhari and Muslim). You are meant to eat.
The Quran ties the end of the month to gratitude. Right after the verses on fasting comes the instruction to complete the count and glorify Allah for guiding you. That is where the takbir of Eid comes from.
From the Quran
شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدٗى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهۡرَ فَلۡيَصُمۡهُۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٖ فَعِدَّةٞ مِّنۡ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُكۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
How to spend the morning of Eid
The Eid prayer itself is short, but the morning around it has its own small sunnahs. Roughly in order:
- Pay zakat al-fitr before the prayer, if you haven't already. The Prophet ﷺ made it due on every Muslim, young and old, and ordered it to be given before people go out to pray (Bukhari 1503). Many pay it in the last days of Ramadan so it reaches people in time.
- Take a bath and wear the best clothes you have.
- Eat a few dates before leaving. The Prophet ﷺ would not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates, and he ate an odd number (Bukhari 953).
- Say the takbir on the way. One common wording, reported from Ibn Mas'ud: Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lillahil-hamd.
- Pray the Eid prayer with your community and stay for the khutbah.
- Come home by a different road. The Prophet ﷺ used to change his route on the day of Eid (Bukhari 986).
- Visit family, call the ones you can't visit, and make sure no one near you spends the day alone.
How the Eid prayer is prayed
The Eid prayer is two rak'ahs, prayed in congregation in the morning after the sun has risen a little, with no adhan or iqamah. It has extra takbirs at the start of each rak'ah: seven in the first and five in the second in most schools, three in each in the Hanafi school. Follow your imam. The khutbah comes after the prayer.
Scholars differ on its ruling. Some hold it is obligatory, others that it is a strongly emphasised sunnah or a communal duty. The Prophet ﷺ asked that even young women and those on their period come out to witness the gathering and the dua (Bukhari and Muslim), which tells you how much he wanted everyone there.
After Eid: six days of Shawwal
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if they had fasted the whole year (Muslim 1164). The six days don't need to be in a row, and you can start the day after Eid. If you still have Ramadan days to make up, many scholars recommend doing those first.
A dua for this day
تَقَبَّلَ اللَّهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكَ
Taqabbalallahu minna wa minka.
May Allah accept from us and from you. The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ said this to each other when they met on the day of Eid.
Questions people ask
How much is zakat al-fitr?
One sa' of staple food for each person in the household, including children: roughly 2.5 to 3 kg of something like dates, rice or wheat. Scholars differ on paying its value in money; the Hanafi school allows it, and many mosques announce a cash amount before Eid. Pay it before the Eid prayer.
What do you say to each other on Eid?
“Eid Mubarak” is the most common greeting today. The Companions are reported to have said “Taqabbalallahu minna wa minka”, may Allah accept from us and from you. In Turkey you'll hear “Bayramınız mübarek olsun”.
Is Eid al-Fitr one day or three?
Eid itself is the first of Shawwal. Many countries, Turkey among them, keep three days of holiday, and the celebration carries through them. The Eid prayer, and the rule against fasting, belong to the first day.