Eid al Fitr and Daylight Saving

Morocco will celebrate the end of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr on Friday, June 15. Daylight saving will return on Sunday

Eid al-Fitr 2018 in Morocco will begin in the evening of Thursday, June 14 and ends in the evening of Saturday, June 16.

Daylight saving time 2018 in Morocco returns at 2:00 AM on Sunday, 17 June 2018. At 02:00:00 clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, 17 June 03:00:00 local daylight time instead

The next major event will be Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, August 22.

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Eid Mubarak!

Sunset - then waiting for the new moon sighting

According to a communique published by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, after a number of legitimate measures and calculations run by special moon-sighting committees across the country, it was established that Monday is the first day of Shawwal, marking the first day of Eid Al Fitr in Morocco.

Monday June 26, will be the first day of the month of Shawwal and thus Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

However, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Qatar and Turkey, all announced on Saturday night that Eid El Fitr would be celebrated on Sunday. The sighting of the moon in most Muslim countries coincides with the astronomical calculations and predictions made by the International Astronomical Centre.

On the occasion of the advent of Eid Al-Fitr, HM King Mohammed VI, sent messages of congratulations to the Heads of State of the Islamic countries, expressing to them His sincere wishes for health and happiness and to their brotherly peoples further progress and prosperity.

In these messages, HM the King said, "It is a blessed opportunity which, because of its deep meaning and the noble values it bears, prompts us to reaffirm, through our faith and our conduct, our attachment to the teachings of tolerant Islam. It also urges us to incarnate the ideals of our religion which advocates fraternity, unity, and moderation, as well as the rejection of any form of division, discord, fanaticism, violence or extremism."

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Eid al Fitr - Expert Predictions?

While Moroccans await the official statement from the Moroccan Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs on the exact end of Ramadan, there are a couple of astronomers with a good record of forecasting the end of the holy month.

Abdelaziz Kharbouch and Hicham El Issaoui, say that on the basis of their calculations, which do not exclude observation of the crescent moon. "It will be invisible on Saturday evenings, in the east as well as in the south of the country". They claim that the month of Ramadan will go until the end of its thirty days and that "Eid al Fitr, will be celebrated in Morocco on Monday, June 26th".

It remains that a small margin of error and doubt will persist until the last minute on Saturday night when the observation of the first crescent of the month and the confirmation of its appearance in the Moroccan sky through the Official statement of the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs.

On the other hand, if you ask Google, the answer is unequivocal. Google says Eid al-Fitr 2017 will begin in the evening of Sunday, June 25 and ends in the evening of Monday, June 26th.

Eid Mubarak to all our readers!

This is also the time for Zakat and Sadaqat al-Fitr

The significant role played by Zakat in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Sadaqat al-Fitr. However, in the case of Sadaqat al-Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity.

Sadaqat al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not have.

Zakat Fitr (alms of the fast breaking) is mandatory for "anyone who has food for a day and a night" and "has a surplus of food." It must be paid on behalf of any dependents. For example, a family man with three children will pay Zakat for himself, his wife and three children. This offering may be paid in cash, or food.

The amount to be paid is set by the Ministry of Religious Affairs which this year set it at around 15 dirhams.

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Eid El Fitr - May Your Eid Be Blessed

Eid El fitr is the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.   Eid is a single day during which Muslims are not permitted to fast

The View From Fez wishes our readers a blessed Eid

The end of Ramadan is expected to be celebrated after the sighting of the moon on Tuesday night. Eid will be observed on Wednesday.

Morocco relies on special committees across the country to monitor the sighting of the moon, in line with the Prophet’s saying: “Fast when you see the crescent and break the fast when you see it; if it is not apparent, then make the month of Sha’ban thirty days.”

Leading up to Eid El Fitr, Moroccan Souks have been busy with shoppers preparing for the holiday, purchasing sweets and biscuits. In line with tradition many people buy extra to give to less fortunate families. Zakat (or giving) is one of the five pillars of Islam and while some give money others choose to purchase basic necessities and staples, such as wheat or flour as gifts.

The burning of Moroccan incense is an ancient Eid traditions which still plays an important part of the Eid celebrations. In the days before Eid, incense is widely available.

Perhaps the most exciting part of Eid for children is the purchase of "Eid clothing" but it is not restricted to children and adults also purchase new clothes, particularly traditional jellabas, or kaftans.

In the USA, the Postal Service launched a new stamp to commemorate Ramadan. The new 2016 Eid stamp is blue with gold calligraphy in Arabic that features a traditional Eid greeting: May your Eid be blessed.

The launch was held at the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, Kentucky, because it was the birthplace of Muhammad Ali, who was Muslim.

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Eid El Fitr will be on Tuesday July 29

The Moroccan Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced that Morocco will celebrate the holiday of Eid El Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, on Tuesday July 29, 2014

Most Muslims countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Egypt, announced earlier on Sunday that they would celebrate Eid El Fitr on Monday.

Unlike in previous years, Morocco started this year’s Ramadan the same day as most Arab and Muslim countries, on June 29.

The calculations of the Islamic calendar are based on the lunar calendar, which causes the Islamic months to move in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year.

The beginning of Islamic months may also vary from one country to another depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

The View from Fez team hopes that our readers have a happy and peaceful Eid.

A reminder that with the end of Ramadan Morocco will return to daylight saving on Saturday. See details here: Daylight Saving Morocco 

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Eid Mubarak 2013 ~ May it be a season of peace and harmony

The View from Fez wishes our readers a peaceful Eid

Take a moment to reflect on Ramadan in our - RAMADAN DIARY

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Celebrating Eid in Fez - 2012

Today in the Fez Medina was a day for the family, for going to the Mosque and for celebrating Eid. From early in the morning people were gathering to complete the last minute tasks and in some cases to bring home a last minute sheep.  

Outside a cafe in Rcif, a man tries to get his last minute sheep home

The View from Fez team were out and about in the Medina and celebrated Eid with our friend Thami and his family. Our day was typical for many in the Medina.

The moment of sacrifice

Old and young - Thami's son Hamza watches with his grandmother

The wonderful lace-like patterns of the stomach-lining - washed and dried

An unusual find - felt balls from the stomach of a "carpet-eating" goat

Suzanna Clarke loads up the skewers

Thami cooking in his lounge room - not an everyday sight

The cooked pieces of heart and liver wrapped in stomach lining - delicious!

Meanwhile, out on the streets the scene is more basic. The heads of the sacrificed animals are donated to local boys who have a great deal of fun cooking them, often on an old metal bed frame. As one passing tourist remarked, 'this is not something I have ever seen before, anywhere. It is an amazing sight - like a scene out of Dante.'

The skins of the animals quickly become items of commerce and within an hour of the first sacrifice they are piled up ready for sale and transport.

During the first few hours of the celebrations most people are at home, but around one in the afternoon, the streets again fill with people going to and from the Mosques. 

The Eid celebration will continue for the next few days and we wish our readers Eid mubarak said.

Photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

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Preparing for Eid - A Cautionary Tale

Sidi Driss was frantically searching his wardrobe for an outfit to wear for Eid. Finding nothing that would fit, he hurried into the Medina and deciding he would not wear the usual traditional djellaba, he hunted for something more modern. Wanting to stand out and look splendid for the holiday he bought himself a new and very expensive pair of designer jeans and an Italian designer shirt.

When he went home and tried them on, he found that while the shirt fitted him well, the trousers were too long by 15cm.

He asked his mother to help him shorten the jeans for him but she was not feeling well and told him to go ask his wife to do it for him.

So Driss approached his wife. But she said she was very tired and she still had a lot of work to do preparing for Eid.

Finally Driss asked his daughter. His daughter apologized for not able to do it that night because she had agreed to meet some friends in the Ville Nouvelle.

Later that night, Driss’s mother thought to herself, "My son has been very nice to me. I'll just help him to shorten his new jeans before going to rest." So she shortened the trousers by 15cm and went off to sleep.

A short time later his wife finished her work and thought,"Poor Driss, he knows I am always very busy and seldom asked me to help him. I would oblige him today." So she shortened his new jeans by 15cm.

It was late when his daughter came home from visiting her friends and everyone was asleep. But, not feeling tired she thought, "Papa loves me very much and when I turned him down, he was not angry at all! I would help him to shorten his jeans." So she shortened her father's trousers by 15cm and left them by his bedside while he was asleep.

All of which explains why Sidi Driss became the first man in the Medina to wear designer shorts on the holiday and why people now call him "Driss - the knees of Eid". It also explains why - on every Eid thereafter - he wore a djellaba.

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King Mohammed VI Pardons 562 Convicts

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has once again followed the custom of granting royal pardons on the occasion of the Eid Al Fitr holiday that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. He has granted a royal pardon to a total of 562 people.

The pardoned convicts on the occasion of Eid al Fitr include 57 inmates whose sentenced were dropped or reduced for humanitarian reasons. They include also 183 people who had their prison sentences commuted, and 64 people who had their sentences, or the remaining period, dropped.

Fifteen convicts had their prison sentences dropped and fine maintained, and 103 had their fines scrapped and six convicts had both sentences and fines dropped.

The monarch also pardoned 191 female inmates, including 36 for humanitarian reasons. It was impressive that this was not simply a matter of signing a document placed in front of him by officials. The monarch had actually visited the prisoners at Ain Sbaa prison in Casablanca on August the 10th.

One hundred convicts had the remaining of their jail sentences dropped and 91 had their sentences commuted, including 30 for humanitarian reasons. The pardon also included reducing a life sentence to 30 years in jail for one inmate, scrapping the remaining jail period for two inmates and reducing the jail sentences of two more.


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Fez After Ramadan - The Tourists Return

With the end of Ramadan, the Fez Medina is once again a major tourist destination. During the month of fasting, the tourist numbers were down, but all the indications are that bookings for September and October are solid and already the tourist coaches are bringing day-trippers to the Medina.

Tourists arriving at R'cif ready to enter the Medina

Si Mohammed, who runs a shop specialising in antiques in the Medina is optimistic. "September will be a great month, inshallah," he says, "The weather will be cooler and I hear that the riads are getting good bookings."

Visitors to the Fez Medina are in for a few unusual surprises. In a fit of Eid celebration some of the local fountains have been given an unusual facelift - in pink!

When too much pink is never enough... a fountain in R'cif

There were more surprises on the main streets today. One was that as the temperature hit 41 Celsius, the locals took to their homes, leaving the streets almost deserted. That combined with almost every shop being closed for the Eid holiday, gave Fez the appearance of a ghost town.

A rare sight  - the usually bustling Talaa Sghira empty and closed for the holiday

A young girl dressed in her Eid holiday best

Those local who were out were dressed in their new Eid outfits - especially the children. Another surprise was the sudden sound of trotting horses...

The Talaa Sghira - not usually a street that horses can trot up

Thankfully, with a few exceptions, the tourists were dressed in a respectful way.

Not the best dress code! This  girl had some locals muttering...

More appropriately dressed

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Daylight Saving Change in Morocco

A reminder to put your watches and clocks forward an hour on Monday Morning.

Monday morning at 2am in Morocco -  the time moves forward an hour to 3am

Due to the end of Ramadan, Moroccan time moves back to daylight saving. Expect some confusion!

And, in the meantime - Eid Mubarak Said!

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Morocco to Celebrate Eid El Fitr on Monday

According to the calculations made by the Moroccan Ministry of Religious Affairs, Morocco will celebrate the holiday of Eid El Fitr , which marks the end of Ramadan, on Monday 20 August 2012.  Most Muslims countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Egypt, announced earlier on Friday that they will celebrate Eid El Fitr on Sunday.

Whereas most Muslim countries started the month of Ramadan on July 20th, Morocco started the month on July 21th.

Eid al-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month which follows Ramadan in 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.

Before the day of Eid, during the last few days of Ramadan, each Muslim family gives a determined amount as a donation to the poor. This donation is of actual food -- rice, barley, dates, rice, etc. -- to ensure that the needy can have a holiday meal and participate in the celebration. This donation is known as sadaqah al-fitr (charity of fast-breaking).

On the day of Eid, Muslims gather early in the morning in outdoor locations or mosques to perform the Eid prayer. This consists of a sermon followed by a short congregational prayer.

After the Eid prayer, Muslims usually scatter to visit various family and friends, give gifts (especially to children), and make phone calls to distant relatives to give well-wishes for the holiday. These activities traditionally continue for three days. In most Muslim countries, the entire 3-day period is an official government and school holiday.

The calculations of the Islamic calendar are based on the lunar calendar, which causes the Islamic months to move in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The beginning of Islamic months may also vary from one country to another depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

The View from Fez team wish a happy and blessed Eid to all our readers.

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Eid Mubarak Said

For Eid 2013  click here! 

Eid Al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, will be celebrated today (Wednesday, August 31), in Morocco, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs announced in a statement.

The Ministry noted that the fasting month of Ramadan lasted 29 days, and that the first day of of Choual 1432 of the Hegira corresponds to Wednesday August 31, 2011.

As is usual in Morocco, HM the King pardoned a number of prisoners. This year, according to the Ministry of Justice pardons were extended to some 372 prisoners.

The View from Fez Team wishes all readers a very happy Eid.

Aid Mubarak Said

The View from Fez Team wishes all readers a very happy Eid.

EID 2013 - Click here! 

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news