Al Haqeeqa
Islam has relatively few holidays compared to most other religions; nevertheless, sacred days and times are very important to Muslims.
When holidays are being observed, it is common for routine social activities, such as work and commerce, to stop temporarily out of respect for the person or event being remembered.
Most Islamic holidays either commemorate events in the life of the prophet Muhammad or are special days founded by him.
Traditionally, Muslims observe two major festivals (‘Id Al-Fitr and ‘Id Al-Adha) and one month of daytime fasting (Ramadan). There is also a day of voluntary fasting: ‘Ashura, which is also an important Shiite festival. (Also compare: Sunni and Shia Muslims.)
The popular festival of Mawlid an-Nabi celebrates the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, but is frowned upon as an idolatrous innovation by conservative Muslims.
Al-Hijra
In the Islamic religion, Al-Hijra – the New Year – is celebrated on the first day of Muharram, the month in which Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE (the Hijra)
Ashura
Ashura (also spelled Aashurah, ‘Ashurah or Aashoorah), is an Islamic holiday observed on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year
Eid Al-Adha
In the religion of Islam, ‘Id Al-Adha or Eid al-Adha (Arabic عيد الأضحى, “Festival of the Sacrifice”) is a major festival that takes place at the end of the Hajj
Eid Al-Fitr
‘Id Al-Fitr or Eid al-Fitr (Arabic for “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast”) is one of Islam’s two major festivals. ## Meaning Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting.
Ramadan
Ramadan is not a holy day to Muslims, but a holy month. It is the ninth month of the Islamic year, in which “the Quran was sent down as a guidance for the people”
The Islamic Calendar
The Islamic calendar is lunar, but it has no corrective system to align it with the solar calendar. Thus Islamic holidays do not always fall in the same season.
