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Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the month of
Ramadan. For over one billion Muslims throughout the world, Ramadan is a special
month of the year. The first Eid was celebrated in 624 CE by the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) with his friends and relatives after the victory of the battle
of Jang-e-Badar.
'Eid-ul-Fitr, the Festival of Fast-Breaking is a
joyous occasion, it is a true Thanksgiving Day for the believing men and women
for the help and strength that Allah gave them throughout the previous month to
help them practice self-control. On the day of the celebration, a typical
Muslim
family gets up very early and attends special prayers held only for the occasion
in big mosques, in large open areas, stadiums or arenas, and visit friends
and relatives. Greetings of "'Eid mubarak," or "a blessed 'Eid" are
exchanged.
In India celebration the night before Eid is
called
Chand Raat, or night of the moon. Women,
especially young girls often paint each others' hands with traditional mehndi,
tattoos and wear colorful bangles. One of the special dishes in India is
savayya, a dish of fine, toasted
vermicelli
noodles. Elder family members give eidi (small amount of money or gifts)
to children.
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