Id-ul-Fitr: A festival of thanksgiving

The festival coming at its end connotes that the Muslim has successfully observed the mandatory fasting and prayer, the spiritual obligations so to speak, called for in the month of Ramzan.

During this period, a Muslim fasts during the day, between sunrise and sunset, and only eats and drinks at night. Fasting, known as the rojas, is said to make one's soul stronger and purer. Fasting tests a person's will power and is a means to carry a Muslim beyond the call of the material world. It is also a means to realize what benefits and comforts one has received in life and feel closer to those Muslim brethren who are underprivileged. In this sense, fasting sensitizes a person to others needs. Thus, the festival Id-ul-Fitr, is both a thanksgiving for the path of Islam and a celebration of the brotherhood of those who follow the path.

Id-ul-Fitr coincides with the new moon, the first day of the month of Shawwal. Id actually means festival and Fitr, a derivative of the word 'fatar' meaning breaking, suggests breaking the fast. Yet another belief is that the name of the festival is indicative of the 'Fitrah' or alms that a devout Muslim must share with his poorer brothers on this festival, as a thanksgiving for the bounties he has received in his life and also, out of his gratitude for having received the strength to accurately main the fast prescribed for the month of Ramzan.

As the festival is associated with a celebration of brotherhood, Muslims seek to rid themselves of all animosity and feel at peace with all on this day and often the preceding days of prayer are towards this aim.

During the day, Muslims irrespective of their position in society, meet each other by embracing thrice and say "Id Mubarak!" (congratulations for Id), and eat sweetmeats, of which vermicelli cooked in sweetened milk, called sevaiyan, is a favorite.

In multicultural secular communities, people following other religions often greet their Muslim friends in a similar way on Id and join in the festivity and eating.