This is a celebration that begins on the last day of Ramadan and is called ‘Festival of Breaking Fast’ or `Eid ul-Fitr. The celebration goes on for three days as children knock on the doors of other people and take chocolate, money and sugar from them. People take this time to forgive each other. The children kiss the hands of the adults and everyone spend time visiting with each other.
At the end of the fast and beginning of this festival, Muslims are obligated to repeat the Tabkir all three days of this celebration. People greet each other with “Happy Eid or Blessed Eid.”
The first day begins with getting up early and eating a very small breakfast portion. After that they go to the Mosque where they collaborate in a special Eid prayer. Muslims take this time to dress up in the best apparel; sometimes new clothes, if they can afford it and go to the Eid prayer.
After the Eid prayer, there is a sermon preached and then a time of forgiveness and assistance for the entire human race in the world. People sitting on opposite sides of each other then begin to embrace each other in greeting and love.
The ceremony ends and then Muslims all over go about visiting their friends, relatives and associates as well as visits to the grave of their loved ones who may have died.
Their fasting is a ritual that acknowledges the sovereignty of God and the weakness of man. So marking the end of Ramadan is significant to the Muslim religious traditions.
Eid ul-Fitr also symbolizes the significance of the Muslim belief that the angel Gabriel descended on all of Prophet Mohammad’s’ grandsons dressed in white clothing.
The Shia of the Iran culture takes this event very personal. They will go out of their way to give to charity and to the people in the Muslim community. They will give food to the needy and visit the elderly.
They will kill a young lamb or calf as a sacrifice and recognition of this important occasion. This is really very admirable to them since this kind of meat is an expensive commodity in Iran.
