On Sunday March 30 (or Monday March 31 for some), over 420,000 Muslims celebrated Eid-al Fitr across Texas alone. This includes many of our own students, but what is this holiday, and why is it so important in the Muslim community?

“Eid is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Islam,” junior Arham Rashed said. “It’s a time of gratitude, joy and community. Muslims celebrate completing a month of spiritual reflection, self-discipline and giving to those in need.”

However, some may have noticed that some Muslims celebrated on Sunday, while others on Monday. 

“…Ramadan… is a month that is based on the lunar calendar,” junior Zeyna ‘Busra’ Kurt said. “A new month starts when the first sliver of the moon appears in the sky. Some muslims determine Eid based on when the crescent moon is predicted to appear, while others wait until they can physically see a crescent moon in the night sky.”

But no matter what day each person observes Eid on, they all enjoy honoring traditions and celebrating through the holiday.

“We start the day with a special Eid prayer at the mosque, then come home to enjoy a big breakfast,” Arham said. “Family and friends visit throughout the day, and we exchange gifts and give out money to younger kids.”

Some students fondly recall time spent with loved ones during the holiday season.

“Back in Turkey, we would visit all of our family in person during Eid,” Busra said. “Sometimes we would travel to the city where my grandparents lived, just to see my extended family for the holidays. Their houses always had cologne and candy for us to pass around for the guests and sneakily eat an extra piece of candy or three while no one is looking.”

Others enjoy looking forward to traditional family foods to eat during the festivities.

“Every year, my parents make… a kind of flatbread,” junior Sheikh Faiyaz Ali said. “It’s made with just yogurt and flour and… it’s super light and fluffy.”

In short, everyone who observed the holiday got to stop, celebrate the end of Ramadan and enjoy the things they love about their family and culture. This was an important day for many students in our school, and a central event for the Muslim community.

Citations

(TSHA), Texas State Historical Association. “Religious Affiliation in Texas.” Texas Almanac, Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) , www.texasalmanac.com/articles/religious-affiliation-in-texas. Accessed 03 Apr. 2025.