2017-06-26 Mon

One of the most important festivals for the Muslims is ‘Eid-ul-Fitr’. Also known as the "festival of breaking the fast”, it is celebrated worldwide marking the end of Ramadan.

The Quran (holy book) is believed to have been revealed to the Prophet Mohammed in the month of Ramadan.

During this time, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam, requiring prayer five times a day and generally encouraging a more reflective behavior. Families and friends gather to mark the end of Ramadan and show gratitude to Allah. The celebration has a focus on the community and family, and a spirit of generosity is encouraged.

The Celebration starts during the day, Muslims gather in large open spaces or mosques for special prayers, called Salat al-Eid, usually followed by a small breakfast, their first daytime meal in a month. Gifts are usually exchanged, and alms-giving is also a common practice. Another custom involves donning new clothes for the new day, which marks a spiritual renewal. Food is an important part of Eid al-Fitr, as feasting takes the place of fasting.

The timing of Eid can vary in different countries depending on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the start of the month in Islam's lunar calendar. Countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and some other parts of the world will celebrate Eid on 25th June this year. In India, it is will be celebrated today (26th June).

Various countries like USA, Canada, Pakistan, etc issued stamps to commemorate this festival. Canada issued a beautiful and typically styled stamp for this occasion. The Arabic script on the stamp is read as ‘Eid Mubarak,’ which translates to ‘Have a Happy Eid’ or ‘Have a blessed Eid’. It appears under a pointed arch, which symbolizes the division between sacred and worldly space in Muslim culture.

This stamp with a beautiful deep blue, warm gold and yellow is very attractive with the geometric pattern on it. It is a non-denominated stamp which has a ‘P’ meaning permanent stamp.