Rabat – Ramadan — the holiest month of the year in Islam, is nearly finished. Around the world, Muslims are taking extra time for devotion and spirituality as the last 10 nights are believed to be the most significant, containing the holy night of Laylatul Qudr.
Communities wait in anticipation for Eid Al Fitr, the celebration marking the end of Ramadan and start of Shawwal — the tenth Islamic month that follows.
In the US, Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall on Friday, March 20, according to the Fiqh Council of North America. Similar to the start of Ramadan, the end of the month is also determined with a moon sighting. The Council predicts that on the evening of March 19, the elongation of the moon will be more than 8 degrees, and the moon itself will be more than 5 degrees above the horizon. If these conditions exist, the following day will be Eid Al Fitr.
The US prediction also mirrors Saudi Arabia, which additionally expects to celebrate the Eid on the day, while other countries like Morocco prepare to welcome the holiday on March 21.
Similar to other non-Muslim majority countries, Eid for Muslims in the US is largely a community-based holiday in which Islamic communities will gather together, but there is no national holiday observed.
Only two states in the US have made substantial successful efforts to recognize Eid Al Fitr as state holidays. Washington was the first state to pass the legislation in 2025, giving Muslim communities a day of “observance”.
This means that state employees can take off, but government offices will not fully close.
Just last week, California introduced a bill to make Eid Al Fitr, and Eid Al Adha, official state holidays. The bill would also allow state employees to use vacation, annual leave, compensatory time, or personal holiday credit to observe Eid, while clarifying that the holidays would not be considered judicial holidays.
On Eid morning, Muslim communities flock to the mosque early for special prayers. People wear their best attire, often traditional wear, which in the US every year presents as a cross-cultural fashion show as Muslim communities live amongst one another from all parts of the world.
After prayers, people return home to share a large breakfast with loved ones – significant as it is the first time eating during the day after a month of fasting from dawn to sunset.
