Middle Eastern Festivals
Islamic Festivals:
• Moulid el-Nabi, Milad, Milad an-Nabi, or Mawlid un-Nabi (The Prophet’s
Birthday): Prophet Muhammad (also Mohammed, Muhammed, Mahomet, and other
variants) is the founder of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as the last messenger
and prophet of God. The main purpose of Moulid el-
Nabi gatherings is to remember, observe, discuss and
celebrate the advent of the birth and teachings of the
holy Prophet Muhammad.
• Ramadan: Ramadan is a celebration that takes place
in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when the
Quran (the central religious text of Islam) was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Many people
fast during the hours of daylight for the entire month.
In Egypt, people decorate the streets and their houses
with lanterns called fanous or fanoos. The fanoos has
become the symbol of Ramadan and is now found in
other areas of the Middle East as well.
• Eid el-Fitur, Eid ul-Fitr, or Id-Ul-Fitr (Feast of the Breaking the Fast):
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the breaking of the fast for Muslims at the end of Ramadan. The
celebration lasts three days during which time families and friends get together to
celebrate with good food and give to charity.
• Chaand Raat (Night of the Moon):
Chaand Raat is the term used in Pakistan,
India and Bangladesh for the eve of the
Muslim festival of Eid el-Fitur. It is a time
of celebration when families and friends
gather in open areas at the end of the last
day of Ramadan to spot the new moon,
which signals the arrival of the Islamic
month of Shawwal and the day of Eid.
(See picture opposite.)
Created by the Center for South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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