Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islam calendar. A divine month of prayer, reflection and forgiveness. Muslims across nations take one month of fasting during Ramadan. They fast from sun up to sun down on a daily basis. It is a renewal of their faith, and it strengthens their spiritual ties with Allah, the Lord Almighty. Eid-al-Fitr or the Feast of Fast-Breaking that comes at the end of Ramadan puts an end to this one-month long fasting and sacrifice.
Muslims living across the globe celebrate this holy festival of Eid-al-Fitr, and Australia is no different. Eid al-Fitr is an important Islamic festival for the Muslim communities across Australia. People wake up to the sweet smell of Sheer khurma, a dish of dates cooked in milk, eat it in the morning, which is part of the Islam tradition. All the mosques in Australia are crowded with worshippers who flock for early morning prayers.
Muslims dress in their finest clothes, decorate homes with lights, prepare special food for their friends and relatives, exchange gifts and greeting cards. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous occasion for Muslims across Australia to praise God and give thanks to Him. Along with the family celebrations, they also donate foods, essential goods, and money to needy people.
Eid-al-Fitr is not an official holiday in Australia, yet the Muslim community, businesses and organizations adjust their business hours during the celebration. The dates of Islamic holidays can never be fixed as it depends on the moon sightings. Thus, countries across the world celebrate Eid-al-Fitr on different days. Shawwal is the month that follows the holiest month of Ramadan, thus, the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr in Australia falls on the first day of Shawwal month.
It is a miraculous period in the Islamic calendar, in which devotees meditate and reflect on their lives and repent for their sins. It is a joyous celebration of purity, that everyone wishes to celebrate with their loved ones living in proximity or living miles and miles apart, through international money transfers.
