How is Bakrid different from Eid-al Fitr? From Moon Sighting to Meaning – All About 2 Major Muslim Holidays | Today’s news
Bakrid, also known as Eid al-Adha or Eid-ul-Azha, is just around the corner and preparations for grand celebrations are in full swing as it is the second of the two major holidays in Islam. The first is Eid al-Fitr, which is commonly known as Meethi Eid or the Festival of Breaking the Fast.
Bakrid and Eid al-Fitr dates
While Bakrid is celebrated on the 10th day of Zil Hajj or Dhul-Hijja, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Fitr is celebrated after the end of the dawn-to-dusk month of Ramadan, marking the beginning of Shawwal, the 10th month.
Notably, Bakrid is observed two months and nine days after Eid-ul-Fitr. Although both dates are decided by lunar sightings, they differ in the time when the crescent moon is sighted. Bakrid is observed on the 10th day after the sighting of the moon and falls around the Hajj pilgrimage. Unlike Eid al-Adha, the date of Eid al-Fitr is determined by the month of Shawwal (hilal), the new crescent moon observed on the last day of the month of Ramadan, the last day of fasting. Therefore, the date of Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of the month of Shawwal because the moon is sighted the night before the new moon begins.
Bakrid date 2026
This year, the crescent moon for Bakrid was sighted on May 18 in India. The festival will therefore be held on May 28 instead of the previously designated May 27 public holiday. This year, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated on March 21 after the crescent moon was sighted on March 20.
Celebrated over three days, both festivals are joyous occasions where Muslims around the world come together to offer morning prayers, but the essence of both holidays is their difference.
Meaning of Bakrid and Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Adha commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of submission to God. The Muslim community celebrates this holiday by sacrificing animals and distributing the meat to family, friends, relatives and the poor.
On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, stories from the Prophet’s life are recalled to reflect on his teachings on compassion, and the focus is on the preaching of the Prophet Muhammad. According to the scriptures, it was during this month of Ramadan that the Holy Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. This makes it a time of spiritual devotion and self-discipline.
The significance of the physical observation of the Moon
Muslims follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which shifts the date of Eid by 10-11 days each year. The Islamic calendar comprises 12 months, each lasting 29 or 30 days and beginning with the sighting of the crescent moon, known in Arabic as “hilal”. The beginning and end of each month is determined by this observation.
Since the visibility of the crescent moon depends on geography, weather conditions and time zones, different regions of the world may celebrate Eid on different dates. India usually celebrates Eid a day after Saudi Arabia, but there have been rare occasions when both countries have celebrated Eid on the same day.
