The Celebration of Eid El-Fetr in Indonesia and Egypt

Eid El-Fetr is a Muslims’ big day in the world. This day is very important to celebrate, because it is the day which marks the end of the Ramadhan (Fasting days). Eid-El Fetr is also called as the feast day of breaking the fast. During this day, all muslims are not allowed to do fasting, because they have been fasting for a month before this day falls. Therefore, this day falls at the first of Syawal (Islamic Calendar). This big day is also identical with a festival which is purposed to celebrate the winning day for the muslims, due to they have been fasting started from the dawn until the sunset. For muslims, this is the day to show the main goal of their unities. In some countries, like Indonesia and Egypt, the festivals can be similar due to they have a strong relationship between the other muslims or society in their cultures. These are the similarities of Eid celebration in both countries.

In Indonesia, around the three or two days before Eid, the road, harbor, and airport become crowded. All people who are far away from their families, because of their jobs or careers, come home to meet their parents and celebrate Eid together. This is like a loyality that Indonesians have by celebrating Eid in their childhood place with their extended families. They think that it is better than doing it alone after long time they never meet each other. They also bring some presents, commonly food, for their parents or even for given to their neighborhoods or relatives, some of them buy some new clothes especially for children and women or wives. During the night before Eid or Eid eve, all people go to the Mosque including women and children. Usually in a village, women cook at noon for Eid then they leave home at night together with the other women to the Eid eve for cooking near the mosque. Then, men celebrate the Eid eve by saying The Great Allah by using microphone inside the mosque. For children, they usually celebrate the Eid eve by bringing the torchs or lamps, walking around the village and saying The Great Allah together with some men guide them and give them some candies during the walk. Afterward, they come back to the mosque with the men. Woman then then give them food and eat together while listening to the speech held by a spokesman. Then, on the day of Eid, people go to a wide field to do an Eid prayer at the morning. After the prayer ends, they go home for eating or taking a rest for a while. In this case based on Indonesian culture, every family asks for the redemption each other. The children will say to their parents an apologize of whether they do any mistake during their lives and so do the parents. It purposes that in Eid, everyone is like reborn with their innocence like a baby who is just given birth, no sins and just like a white paper. Then they continue it by visiting their relatives and neighbors, mainly the young visits to the old, like a family visits to their grandparents. After all, Usually the Eid celebration is continued by vacation to some places with family during the holiday. Then they go back to their jobs and careers, for those whose jobs far from the family, the road will be crowded again as their departures.

In Egypt, during the days before Eid, there will be more crowded because most egyptians like celebrating eid with their relatives. Egyptian people have a strong relationship among their societies. So that for those who live far away from their neighborhood, they come home to celebrate Eid. Some of them also buy some new clothes for presents such as men usually give their wives clothes for Eid. Then wives usually cook something at home, sweet food and the famous food of Eid called Fesekh. Especially the ten days before Eid, some men go to mosque for praying, even they do not go home although just for a while. Said, an egyptian man, usually goes to the mosque on the days before Eid to do I’tikaf until the last day before Eid, then he goes home for celebrating the Eid eve with his family. Then during the night before Eid, some children often celebrate the Eid eve by playing fireworks and firecrackers. Mostly they do not sleep until the Eid comes while the wives are preparing their clothes and food for Eid. As the day of Eid, they go for praying in wide land but not often, for Eid prayer. After it ends, some people greet each other and mostly say Happy eid (Eid Mbarak), however, some say happy eid and wish that they can celebrate eid together next year. (Said Hamdy Al-Sharef, Email interview, 2013). Implicitly, it means that they wish to be given a long life by Allah so that they can celebrate Eid together next year. Some people usually visit to their relatives to greet them happy eid and for children, they are given some money to spend the holiday during Eid.(Omar Abd El-Hamied Mohammed, Email interview,2013). It can be meant that based on the culture of Egypt, most people care and wish to be the best for each other during the Eid. Then the final session of this celebration, children or family go to some places such as going to the parks, cinemas, or visiting Neil as the last of their holiday (from wikipedia).

By the two paragraphs above, they can be compared that similarly, the celebration of Eid El-Fetr of both countries is not much different. The days before Eid, there will be crowded due to the visit of people who want to celebrate Eid with their relatives in neighborhoods. Then, also the celebration during Eid eve is similar, in Egypt, women cook something at home while in Indonesia, women cook something at home in the afternoon until evenin. After the preparation of food finishes, they go to the mosque at night to cook together for celebrating Eid eve. The kids also playing together with their torchs and fireworks in both countries. In Egypt, After the Eid prayer ends, they give a happy eid or eid mubarak to each other, while in Indonesia, it is continued by asking for redemption each other among the relatives. Then afterward, as the last of their celebration, they usually go to some places for vacation, it happens to both countires.

It can be concluded that in celebrating the day of Eid, it might be similar to one and another due to both of the countries likes to celebrate Eid with their relatives. It means that they have a strong relationship in society. Then, the purpose is just one, it is to celebrate the big day of Muslims after they do fasting for a month and commemorate it by holding such kinds of celebrations.