Islamic Festivals

As a result, there is scarcely a day in the year when some community, somewhere in the world, is not celebrating a festival. (For a full list, see Encyclopedia Britannica, Micropedia, Vol. 24, pp. 73–75) These festivals are typically marked by revelry and entertainment. Recreational programmes are organised, and people often celebrate by stepping beyond traditional social boundaries. Individuals from all sections of society participate in them—whether political, religious, or secular. For Muslims, two such festivals have been prescribed: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These are two annual days of joy from a religious perspective. Eid al-Fitr falls on the first of Shawwal, and Eid al-Adha on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. During the Makkah period, an organised Islamic society had not yet been established. That is why the system of Eid was also not initiated during that time. After the migration to Madinah, the Islamic society began to take organised shape. Just as other systems were put in place, the tradition of Eids was also started. At that time, the people of Madinah had two tribal festivals. On these days, they held sports competitions, arranged poetry gatherings, and celebrated their historical pride. Overall, these festivals could be called national fairs. When the Prophet of God migrated from Makkah to Madinah and saw these festivals, he replaced them with two new festivals—the Eids. One Companion, Aans bin