The short answer
Eid means festival. Muslims celebrate two each year. Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, comes on the first day after Ramadan. Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, falls during the Hajj and commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son; families who can afford it sacrifice an animal and share the meat with the poor.
A little more context
Both begin with a congregational prayer in the morning, followed by visits to family and friends, special food, new clothes, and gifts for children. The usual greeting is “Eid Mubarak”, blessed festival, and a Muslim friend will be glad to hear it from you.
Sources & further reading
- Qur’an 2:185 Completing the fast and glorifying God.
- Qur’an 37:102-107 The sacrifice of Abraham.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 952 The two days of festival.
Original introductory summary, not a direct scripture translation. Prepared 21 October 2026. Qualified human religious review is pending. About our editorial approach.