Eid al-Fitr is a three-day holiday that marks the end of the month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic term meaning "festivity" or "celebration" while fitr means "to break the fast" and can also mean "nature" from the word "fitra." Eid falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month which follows Ramadan on the Islamic calendar. It is a time to give in charity to those in need and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy.

On the first day of eid, Muslims wake up very early and pray the morning prayer. Afterwards, they eat a small meal, a symbolic act that reminds them that Ramadan is over. They then gather in mosques to perform the eid prayer -- congregational prayers held for the occasion of eid. The prayer is made up of two cycles and is followed by a sermon. Worshippers greet and hug one another in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer in celebration of one another’s eid. They later scatter to visit their families and friends, give gifts to one another and make phone calls to distant relatives to convey good wishes for the holiday. The eid lasts for three days and is generally an official holiday in Muslim countries.

Muslims around the world share in the great blessing of the tranquil and spiritual eid morning. It is a joyous occasion with important religious significance, celebrating the increase in piety with which God blesses the world during the month of Ramadan. It is a day of forgiveness and moral victory as well as of brotherhood and unity. Muslims celebrate not only the end of fasting, but also thank God for the help and strength that he bestowed upon them throughout the month of fasting, during which they endured their fast with not only a physical but also a spiritual asceticism -- that is, they have controlled their stomachs, their tongues and their hearts, so they have successfully passed the test of servanthood. It is a time of giving and sharing.

Common greetings during this holiday are the Arabic greeting “Eid Mubarak,” (May your eid be blessed). Turks and Muslims living in areas where the Ottoman presence heavily influenced local customs say “Bayramın Mübarek Olsun” during eid, also meaning “May your eid be blessed.”

Muslims put on their best clothes, called “bayramlık” in Turkey, often purchased just for the occasion. They visit loved ones and pay their respects to the deceased in cemeteries.

Young ones kiss the right hand of the elderly and press it to their forehead as a gesture of respect. Children go around their neighborhood to wish everyone a happy eid and collect candy and chocolate. Guests are offered eau de cologne and traditional sweets such as baklava and lokum (Turkish delight). Young visitors are generally offered a small amount of money.

Television and radio stations broadcast a variety of special eid programs, which include movie specials, musical programs and celebratory addresses from celebrities and politicians.

Eid is more than a religious festivity for Turks, who also associate it with sweets and candy. A centuries-old tradition of offering sweets to guests during Eid al-Fitr has led to this festivity being called “Şeker Bayramı,” with şeker meaning sugar or sweet in Arabic and Turkish.

Candy store owners and patisseries wait for eid with great expectations as the festivity brings with it an increase in sales and, therefore, rising profits. They begin preparing months before the occasion and try to attract customers with colorful and delicious delicacies.

The exact day on which eid falls depends on the sighting of the new moon -- the hilal, which is only visible just after sunset. Muslims look for the hilal to determine the beginning and end of Islamic months.

Many Muslim countries around the world have hilal-sighting committees that declare the beginning and end of the months. Hilal sighting was recommended by the Prophet Muhammad. The following are some sayings (hadith) of the Prophet on the subject of sighting the new moon: “Do not fast until you see the new moon and do not break the fast until you see it.” “Whenever you see the new moon [of Ramadan], observe the fast. And when you see the new moon of Shawwal, break it. If [due to clouds] the actual position of the moon is concealed from you, you should then observe the fast for 30 days.”

Sweet competition between candy, chocolate

Though candy used to top the list of delicacies offered to visitors during Eid al-Fitr, chocolate seems to have dethroned it in the last couple of years.

Şebnem Nasi, the general manager of the Ülker Chocolate marketing department, stated that there is stiff competition between candy and chocolate in Turkey during eid. “A person consumes around one-and-a-half to two kilograms of chocolate a year. The consumption of candy is more or less the same. Though chocolate consumption was not very common in Turkey in the past due to its high price, it has seen an increase in recent years and is now able to compete with candy consumption,” she said.

Turgut Ziyal, general manager of Baycan Gıda -- one of Turkey’s leading candy and chewing gum producers -- said candy consumption in Turkey dates back to the 18th century. “Candy has been produced and consumed in Turkey since then. Turks were introduced to chocolate much later. People used to offer candy to their guests at weddings, at mevlits [recitations of poems written by Süleyman Çelebi to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad] and when visiting a bereaved family to offer condolences. Chocolate was too expensive in the past and could only be found in certain places. Candy, however, was available in many shops. As the price of chocolate decreased, its consumption rose,” he added.

Dentists have, however, warned people not to eat too many sweets during Eid al-Fitr as it may lead to tooth decay.

Duran Tekin, a dentist in Kayseri, said consumption of sweets increases considerably during eid. “Sweets may stick to the surface of teeth and easily be turned into acid by bacteria. Frequent consumption of sweets may lead to decay if one does not brush one’s teeth after eating them,” he said.

He noted that if one cannot brush one’s teeth after eating sweets, he should eat a carrot, an apple or a cucumber to reduce the production of acid in the mouth to a minimum. “Hosts should therefore offer one of these to their guests after candy or chocolate,” he said.

Tekin also added even a glass of water helps prevent tooth decay after consuming sweets. “Acidic beverages also contribute to tooth decay. Choose ayran or fruit juice instead of acidic beverages,” he said.

Officials warn drivers to be extra cautious on the road

Officials have warned drivers to be more careful when driving during the eid vacation, saying roads and highways will be more crowded than usual. They noted that the number of casualties in traffic accidents significantly rises during these vacations, calling for greater attention and full compliance with traffic regulations. Drivers are particularly being cautioned to avoid drinking and driving as well as speeding.

Interior Minister Beşir Atalay on Sunday called on everyone to respect traffic rules and not turn the eid into a day of mourning. “All precautions will be taken not to pave the way for accidents. For a more peaceful eid, traffic rules should be abided by,” he said.

Drivers’ chambers released similar warnings, as well. Representatives of drivers’ chambers from various Turkish cities warned drivers to be extra cautious when driving during the eid.

“Drivers should be calm and refrain from speeding and violating traffic rules. If they intend to drive to more distant cities, they should sleep well before getting behind the wheel and fasten their seatbelts. They should absolutely abstain from alcohol before driving and rest at regular intervals,” they said.


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