In about a week or so, the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan will come to a close and Muslims worldwide will welcome Eid al-Fitr.
For the faithful, it will be a joyous day of celebration - where prayers are offered, bonds are strengthened and alms are given to the poor.
Eid al-Fitr, translated to mean as the ‘Festival of Breaking Fast’ in Arabic is also known by other names, like Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa by Malaysians and Singaporeans, or Hari Raya Idul Fitri or Lebaran to Indonesians.
While different Muslim communities celebrate Eid al-Fitr in various forms, what binds them is the common tradition of exchanging festive greetings.
Eid greetings serve as a sign of mutual respect and a way to express their aspirations and good wishes to each other.
There are various ways that different Muslim communities express their greetings when Ramadan comes to a close, but the most commonly used are “Eid Mubarak” or “Eid Fitr Mubarak”.
The phrase “Eid Mubarak” has its origins in two Arabic words which are “Eid” meaning festival and “Mubarak” meaning blessed. So when you wish someone “Eid Mubarak”, you wish them a “blessed festival”.
Muslims can respond to the greetings by saying “Khair Mubarak” or “Jazakallah Khair”, thanking the greeter for their good wishes.
Muslims do translate the greetings into their local language, but the greetings will essentially mean the same.
“Selamat Hari Raya” is the traditional Malay greeting used by Malaysian Muslims, while it is a tradition by Indonesian Muslims to say “minal aidzin walfaizin, mohon maaf lahir dan batin” - which ask for forgiveness for wrongdoings.
Eid al-Fitr greetings are extended during the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which falls on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic lunar calendar.
This year, the festival is expected to take place on Sunday 30 March 2025, or Monday 31 March 2025, depending on the religious sighting of the moon.
Lincoln Tan is a co-founder of Chow Luck Club and a former senior reporter covering diversity and immigration at The New Zealand Herald.
