Eid-al-Fitr in Australia
Quick Facts
Eid al-Fitr, which is on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal, marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan.Name
Eid-al-FitrEid-al-Fitr 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013Eid-al-Fitr 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014Note: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.
List of dates for other years
Many Muslims in Australia celebrate Eid al-Fitr (also known as Id al-Fitr or Eid ul-Fitr) on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar. It marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan and the start of a feast that lasts up to three days in some countries.
Many Muslim children happily receive presents from family members during Eid al-Fitr.
©iStockphoto.com/DistinctiveImages
What do people do?
Eid al-Fitr is an important Islamic holiday for Muslim communities across Australia. Sheer khurma (a dish of dates cooked in milk) is usually eaten in the morning of Eid al-Fitr. It is a busy time for mosques throughout Australia, where worshippers flock for early morning prayers. Many Muslims dress in their finest clothes and adorn their homes with lights and other decorations.
Old wrongs are forgiven and money is given to the poor. Special foods are prepared and friends or relatives are invited to share the feast. Gifts and greeting cards are exchanged and children receive presents. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous occasion but its underlying purpose is to praise God and give thanks to him, according to Islamic belief.
Public life
Eid al-Fitr is not a federal public holiday in Australia. However, many Islamic businesses and organizations may alter their business hours during this event. There may be some congestion around mosques around this time of the year.
Background
Eid al-Fitr is also known as the Feast of Fast-Breaking or the Lesser Feast. It marks the end of Ramadan and the start of a feast that lasts up to three days in some countries, such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. It is one of Islam’s two major festivals, with Eid al-Adha being the other major festival. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of the fasting that occurs during Ramadan.
It is not possible to predict the date of Eid al-Fitr according to the Gregorian calendar accurately. This is because the month of Shawwal begins, and hence the month of Ramadan ends, after a confirmed sighting of the new moon. The new moon may be sighted earlier or later in specific locations. Hence, Muslims in different parts of the world may begin the Eid-al-Fitr celebrations on different dates.
About Eid-al-Fitr in other countries
Read more about Eid-al-Fitr.Eid-al-Fitr Observances
Note: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type | Where it is observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri | Apr 27 | 1990 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Tue | Apr 16 | 1991 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sat | Apr 4 | 1992 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Thu | Mar 25 | 1993 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Mon | Mar 14 | 1994 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Mar 3 | 1995 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Wed | Feb 21 | 1996 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sun | Feb 9 | 1997 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Jan 30 | 1998 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Tue | Jan 19 | 1999 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sat | Jan 8 | 2000 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Thu | Dec 28 | 2000 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Mon | Dec 17 | 2001 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Dec 6 | 2002 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Wed | Nov 26 | 2003 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sun | Nov 14 | 2004 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Nov 4 | 2005 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Tue | Oct 24 | 2006 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sat | Oct 13 | 2007 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Thu | Oct 2 | 2008 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Mon | Sep 21 | 2009 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Sep 10 | 2010 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Wed | Aug 31 | 2011 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sun | Aug 19 | 2012 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Thu | Aug 8 | 2013 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Tue | Jul 29 | 2014 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sat | Jul 18 | 2015 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Thu | Jul 7 | 2016 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Mon | Jun 26 | 2017 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Fri | Jun 15 | 2018 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Wed | Jun 5 | 2019 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
| Sun | May 24 | 2020 | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim |
Related holidays
- Eid-al-Adha ―Tuesday, October 15, 2013
- Ramadan begins ―Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Other holidays in August 2013 in Australia
- Laylat al-Qadr ―Saturday, August 3, 2013
- Northern Territory Picnic Day ―Monday, August 5, 2013
- New South Wales Bank Holiday ―Monday, August 5, 2013
- Royal National Agricultural Show Day Queensland ―Wednesday, August 14, 2013
- Assumption of Mary ―Thursday, August 15, 2013
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