Festivals, Special Days and Rites of Passage

Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr

Ramadan is a holy month of fasting from dawn to sunset for Muslims.
During Ramadan, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs. It is time for purifying the soul, refocusing attention on Allah and practising self-discipline and sacrifice.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a major celebration known as Eid ul-Fitr (the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast).
On Eid ul-Fitr, Muslims would give a specific form of charity known as Zakat al-Fitr, pray the Eid prayer and celebrate with family and friends.

Eid ul-Adha and Hajj

Eid ul-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice) commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah.
During Eid ul-Adha, families that can afford it, sacrifice a domestic animal (usually a sheep or a goat) as a symbol of Ibrahim’s sacrifice. This meat is then shared with family, neighbours, and the needy.
The Hajj is a pilgrimage that takes place during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca.
It’s an obligatory act that every Muslim who is physically and financially able, must perform once in their lifetime.

Ashura and Mawlid an-Nabi

Ashura is a day of fasting observed on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, by mostly Sunni Muslims. They believe that it marks the day that Moses and the Israelites were saved from Pharaoh by God.
For Shia Muslims, Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala.
Mawlid an-Nabi, means “Birth of the Prophet”, is a public holiday in many Islamic countries to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad and his teachings. However, it’s celebration is a contentious issue among Muslims as some consider it an innovation of the faith.

Rites of Passage: Birth, Marriage, Death

On birth of a child, the Adhan (call to prayer) is recited in the right ear of the baby to be the first words the baby hears.
The naming ceremony, on the 7th day, includes shaving the baby’s head and an animal sacrifice, and the weight of the baby’s hair in silver is given in charity.
Muslim marriages involve a contract between the bride and groom, signed in front of witnesses. The bride has a right to a Mahr, a gift from the groom as part of the contract.
At a Muslim funeral, the body is washed and wrapped in a simple white shroud.
The Janazah prayer is performed by the community and involves supplications asking for the deceased’s salvation and that they are pardoned by Allah.
It’s preferred an Islamic burial should take place as soon as possible after death, usually within 24 hours and there isn’t a tradition of displaying the body.