Eid al-Fitr 2027

What this countdown tracks

Eid al-Fitr 2027 – the festival marking the end of Ramadan – is expected on Wednesday March 10, 2027 (subject to moon sighting; some regions may observe Thursday March 11). The three-day festival closes Ramadan 1448 AH and is observed by an estimated 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide.

About Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr means "festival of breaking the fast" – the day on which Muslims, having completed the month-long Ramadan fast, gather in congregation for a special prayer of thanksgiving and then begin three days of feasting, family visits, and communal celebration. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth Hijri month, immediately after the new crescent moon ends Ramadan.

The festival was instituted by the Prophet Muhammad in Medina around 624 CE, after the first complete Ramadan fast was observed by the early Muslim community. The Prophet had asked the people of Medina what days they had previously celebrated as feasts; when they named two pre-Islamic festivals, he replied that Allah had given them two better festivals – Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Since then, the two Eids have remained the only canonical festivals of Islam, observed in essentially the same form across all sects and schools.

Eid al-Fitr is the larger of the two Eids in much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Levant, and Africa – Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, and Iran all treat it as the year's biggest holiday. In Indonesia, where it is called Lebaran or Idul Fitri, the multi-week travel rush home (mudik) is the largest annual human migration in Southeast Asia – an estimated 190 million Indonesians travel during the period.

How it's observed

Eid begins early. Before sunrise, families bathe (ghusl), wear new or freshly laundered clothes – often traditional dress chosen for the day – and apply perfume (attar). After a light pre-prayer breakfast (the only Eid where Muslims are encouraged to eat before the prayer, traditionally with dates), congregations gather in large open prayer grounds (Eidgahs) or mosques for the special two-rakat Eid prayer. The prayer is followed by a khutbah (sermon) by the imam.

Before the Eid prayer, every Muslim householder pays zakat al-fitr – a mandatory charitable donation traditionally equivalent to about 2.5 kg of staple food per family member, paid in cash or kind to the poor so they too can celebrate. Zakat al-fitr is collected from every adult on behalf of every member of the household.

After the prayer, the day opens into family visits. Children receive Eidi – cash gifts from parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Sweet dishes dominate the table: in South Asia, sheer khurma (a vermicelli-and-milk pudding with dates and dried fruits) and biryani; in Turkey, baklava; in Egypt, kahk cookies; in Indonesia, ketupat (woven-leaf rice cakes) with rendang and opor ayam; in Morocco, sellou and atayef. The three days of Eid are days of visiting, eating together, and reconciling – the day is widely understood as a moment for restoring strained relationships.

In recent years Eid al-Fitr in 2027 will fall in early March, when the season in the Northern Hemisphere is just turning to spring. The Grand Mosque in Mecca holds Eid prayers attended by hundreds of thousands; the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, and Indonesia's Istiqlal Mosque are among the largest national gatherings.

Why this date specifically

Eid al-Fitr falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar – the day after the new crescent moon ends Ramadan. In 2027, astronomical calculations place the new crescent's first visibility on the evening of Tuesday March 9, with Eid prayers on Wednesday March 10 in most regions. Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court, individual national moon-sighting committees, and astronomical-only calendars used by some North American Muslim organizations may differ by one day on the exact start.

What to watch for / notable observances in 2027

• Evening of March 9 – moon-sighting announcements from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey
• Morning of March 10 – Eid prayers at the Grand Mosque, Mecca, and at major mosques worldwide
• Public holiday of three days in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Egypt
• Indonesian mudik mass-travel period and Lebaran celebrations
• Indian state-by-state holiday observance with dawn prayers at the Jama Masjid in Delhi and Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad
• Major Eid prayer congregations in London, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, New York, and Sydney
• Eid breakfast events organized by mayors and city councils in major Western cities

Related festivals to track

Eid al-Fitr 2027 closes Ramadan 2027, which began February 8. The other big Islamic festival of 2027 is Eid al-Adha 2027 on May 17. The family overview is at the Islamic festival hub. For comparable post-fasting feasts, see Easter in the Christian festival hub (after Lent).

FAQ

When is Eid al-Fitr in 2027? Expected on Wednesday March 10, 2027 – subject to local moon sighting; some regions may observe Thursday March 11.

How is Eid al-Fitr observed? Through the morning Eid prayer in congregation, payment of zakat al-fitr to the poor, new clothes, sweet dishes, family visits, and Eidi cash gifts to children.

Is Eid al-Fitr a public holiday? Yes, in over 80 countries – generally a three-day public holiday in Muslim-majority countries.

What is the typical greeting? "Eid Mubarak" (blessed Eid) or "Eid Saeed" (happy Eid); in Turkish, "Bayramınız kutlu olsun"; in Indonesian, "Selamat Hari Raya"; in Urdu, "Eid Mubarak ho."