What is the first day of Eid?

The festive Muslim holiday comes twice a year, though each Eid is different and has its own special history. If you're not familiar with Islam or with its customs and beliefs, here's a primer on Eid.

What is Eid?

Eid translates to "festival" or "feast" in Arabic. Eid marks the end of a fast or fasting period in Islam.

Why is Eid celebrated twice a year?

Eid is celebrated twice a year. The first Eid celebration is Eid al-Fitr, which lasts three days. The second Eid is Eid al-Adha, which spans four days.

Eid al-Fitr ("the feast of breaking the fast") marks the end of Ramadan, a month-long fast for Muslims. Eid al-Adha, translated to "feast of the sacrifice," celebrates the end of Muslims' annual pilgrimage to Mecca, also called the Hajj.

Related: What is Ramadan? Everything to Know About the Muslim Holy Month and How to Celebrate

When is Eid 2022?

Eid al-Fitr begins the evening of Monday, May 2 and ends the evening of Tuesday, May 2, 2022. Eid al-Adha begins on July 9 and ends on July 10, 2022.

When is Eid 2022 in USA?

In the United States, Eid al-Fitr begins the evening of Monday, May 2 and ends the evening of Tuesday, May 2, 2022. Eid al-Adha begins in the United States on July 9 and ends on July 10, 2022.

When does Ramadan end in 2022?

In 2022, Ramadan runs from the evening of Monday, April 2 through the evening of Monday, May 2.

What to do on Eid?

Some Eid traditions include dressing up, snacking on some dates and heading to a mosque for special prayers just after dawn. Afterward, it's recommended to take an alternative route home than the one you took to the mosque, with the idea of spreading joy and riches everywhere you go and to the most people possible.

Related: It’s Ramadan! Feel Good Foodie Shares Her Five Favorite Pre-Dawn Meals

Some families exchange gifts, and many Muslims give food to those in need. For Eid al-Adha, some celebrants slaughter an animal as a sacrifice. The animal's meat is cut into three parts: One for family, another for friends and extended relatives and a third for the poor. However, not all families participate in the meat tradition, and many simply donate to charity or use other means to help those less fortunate instead.

History of Eid

In the Quran, the prophet Muhammad got his first revelation during Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is believed to have originated when Muhammad arrived in Medina from Mecca and witnessed people celebrating with feasts on two specific days. Eid al-Adha, it is believed, honors God's intervention with a ram when Ibrahim almost sacrificed his son Ismail. (If it sounds familiar, it's because the Old Testament of the Bible has a similar story about Abraham and his own son, Isaac.)

Next, learn all about Nowruz!

For practicing Muslims, the most sacred time of the year is almost here. The Islamic year is made up of twelve months, with four months of the Islamic calendar distinguished as sacred. Dhul-Hijjah, the last month in the year, is one of the sacred months. Although the whole month of Dhul-Hijjah is sacred, the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the most venerated days of the Islamic calendar — even holier than the days of Ramadan. During these days, the Hajj pilgrimage takes place in the sanctuary of Mecca and its nearby holy land. The tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is when the holiday of Eid al-Adha takes place.

The dates for Muslim holidays and observances are determined by the lunar calendar. As recited in the Quran:

“They ask you [Prophet Muhammad] about the phases of the moon. Say, ‘They are a means for people to determine time and pilgrimage.’” 2:189

In a lunar calendar, the amount of time it takes for the moon to go through its phases is calculated as one lunar month. The start of an Islamic month is determined by sighting the first phase of the moon, called a young moon. It’s usually a thin crescent visible to the naked eye a day or two after a new moon.

Once the start of Dhul-Hijjah is determined following the sighting of the crescent moon, the dates for Hajj and subsequently Eid al-Adha are officially announced.

When is Eid al-Adha 2022?

The date for Eid al-Adha is subject to sighting the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar. The crescent moon is forecast to arrive on Thursday, June 30. If the moon is sighted, that will be the first day of Dhul-Hijjah.

Eid al-Adha always takes place on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah. So counting 10 days from the expected start of the lunar month, this year, Eid al-Adha will take place on July 9, 2022 of the Gregorian calendar.

Eid al-Adha is typically a four-day holiday with celebrations lasting until the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. The three days after Eid al-Adha (the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) are known as the Days of Tashreeq and are often considered a part of the holiday’s celebrations.

Why does Eid al-Adha's date change every year?

On the lunar Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the same date every year: 12/10 (the 10th day of the 12th lunar month, Dhul-Hijjah).

When correlated to the solar Gregorian calendar, Eid al-Adha is a "moveable feast" taking place approximately 10-11 days earlier than it did the previous year.

This happens because a lunar year consists of approximately 354 days while a solar year usually has 365 days.

Why is Eid al-Adha celebrated?

Eid al-Adha is celebrated to mark the end of Hajj, the final of the five pillars of Islam. Hajj is a pilgrimage that takes place only once every year from the 5th of Dhul-Hijjah to the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah in Mecca and its nearby sacred lands.

Every practicing Muslim who is able to perform Hajj is required to perform pilgrimage once in their lifetime. Those who are not performing Hajj in a given year may choose to honor the sacred days with voluntary fasting.

The Hajj pilgrimage is a symbolic journey tracing the footsteps of Prophet Abraham, Hagar, and their son Ismail, peace be upon all of them. Eid al-Adha is celebrated to commemorate God rescuing Prophet Abraham from a difficult test. The holiday serves as a hopeful symbol for Muslims going through their own difficult tests.

When will Eid al-Adha be in upcoming years?

Lunar Muslim holidays typically occur 10-11 days earlier than the year prior when corresponded to the solar Gregorian calendar. Over the next three years, Eid al-Adha is expected to take place on June 29, 2023, June 17, 2024, and June 7, 2025. All dates are approximate and subject to sighting of the crescent moon for Dhul-Hijjah in upcoming years.

Manal Aman is a lifestyle expert and founder of Hello Holy Days! where she designs fun products for Muslim holidays. She’s licensed her art to retailers like Crate & Kids and American Greetings and her products can be found all across North America at stores like Paper Source in the US and Indigo! in Canada. She’s worked with Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Chatelaine and countless other media sites over the past decade sharing inspiring ideas and helpful tips for celebrating Muslim holidays. You can find her over at www.helloholydays.com and @helloholydays on social media.

Three countries in Asia and Africa are celebrating the first day of Eid Al Fitr today (May 1) while most of the Arab and Muslim world have officially declared May 2 as the first day of Shawwal.

Afghanistan’s apex court on Saturday announced that the Shawwal moon was sighted in various provinces of the country, hence Eid Al Fitr will be celebrated on May 1.

Acting Government Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted late last night to confirm the announcement.

A statement issued by the Supreme Court said that 27 people in Farah, Ghazni, Kandahar and Ghor provinces had seen the crescent and presented evidence to the committee.

In Africa, Mali and Niger have also declared May 1 as the first day of Shawwal.

The UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Yemen among other Islamic countries will celebrate the first day of Eid on Monday.

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