During the year, there are many holidays and observances Muslims celebrate or participate in that are specific to their religion. When you, as a Christian, are forming a relationship with a Muslim, it is helpful to know what holidays your friend celebrates and why they are important to them.
In this blog, we are outlining the major Islamic holidays so you can be prepared to share the gospel even when Muslims are observing their religious holidays! But first, we have to clarify why the Islamic calendar looks different from the one you’re used to.
Islam and the Hijri Lunar Calendar
The Islamic world follows a calendar different from the typical Gregorian calendar Western countries follow. While the Gregorian calendar depends on the earth’s trip around the sun in 365 days, the Islamic calendar, called the hijri calendar, is based on the lunar cycle. But unlike the Jewish lunar calendar, the hijri calendar’s months are not adjusted to stay at the same time of the season each year. For example, in 2010, Ramadan started on August 10th but in 2023 it started on March 22nd.
The hijri calendar was created in 639 AD by the third Islamic caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, almost seven years after Muhammad’s death. He wanted to mark the beginning of Islam in the world and to separate Muslims from the Jewish and Christian calendars. Even though the calendar was created in 639 AD, the hijri calendar’s first year was 622 AD because that was when Muhammad completed his “hijrah” or migration to Medina.
Since Islam follows the Lunar calendar, the dates of their holidays are different each calendar year when following the Gregorian calendar. Make sure to check this link to see the upcoming Islamic holiday so you can connect with your Muslim friend.
There are eight major religious holidays that the Islamic world celebrates.
The first month in the hijri calendar is Muharram, which is also what they call the special new years holiday. According to Islam, Muharram is the second holiest month after Ramadan. To celebrate Muharram, Muslims spend long hours in their mosques, praying and listening to sermons. But they also get together with their communities and loved ones and throw parties.
Holy Day of Ashura
This day falls on the tenth day of the first month in the Islamic calendar. Not all Muslims celebrate it the same way. In fact, there is a divide between the two major sects of Islam, Sunni and Shia, in what this day means and how to observe it.
Sunni Muslims believe that this day marks the day Moses split the Red Sea, and they celebrate it by either fasting or hosting celebrations in their communities.
Shiites believe that this is the day Husayn ibn Ali, Muhammad’s grandson, died for not pledging allegiance to another caliph. They spend this day in mourning, and some use this day as a signal of protest over Husayn’s death and in hopes of honoring him and interceding for his position in paradise.
Mawlid al Nabi
This is the 12th day of the 3rd month in the Islamic calendar. It is the day Muslims mark the birthday of Muhammad, and it is celebrated with large celebrations and processions. But there is no proof that this is the correct date of Muhammad’s birth.
Ramadan - The month of fasting
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is supposedly the month when Muhammad received the first messages that became part of the Quran.
Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and although there are other times of the year when Muslims are advised to fast, Ramadan is the time of mandatory fasting for every Muslim (with a few exceptions).
From sunrise to sunset, Muslims must fast from food, liquids, smoking, lying, and sex. This is supposed to help them gain Allah’s favor. Since their calendar does not line up with ours, sometimes the month of Ramadan lands during a summer month which only makes it harder to abstain from eating and drinking water for over 16 hours!
This night falls in the month of Ramadan, and technically does not have a confirmed date. Laylat al-Qadr, also called the Night of Power, takes place during the last ten days of the fasting month– Ramadan, but no one knows which night. Muslims are only told that it takes place on an odd-numbered date during the last ten days of Ramadan; some generally believe it is on the 27th day of Ramadan.
The Night of Power story states this is the night Muhammad received the first revelation of the Quran from Allah. Muslims believe that Allah has put immense spiritual power into this night, therefore, if you worship on that night, it is worth thousands of months of worship!
This powerful night allows the worshiper to ascend into a higher spiritual plane, through the heavens, and into Allah’s presence to gain favor and forgiveness. Allah shows great mercy to his creation on the Night of Power and he decides the fate of his worshipers.
The word “eid” means feast, and this is one of the two important feasts in the Islamic year. “Fitr” means breaking the fast, so it is the Feast of Breaking the Fast.
Eid al-Fitr is a three-day Islamic holiday that all Muslims in the world, currently 1.97 billion, look forward to every year. This feast culminates after the Ramadan fasting month.
Families and communities come together and enjoy large meals. Some Muslims save up all year to afford food for the Eid al-Fitr parties. Favorite dishes include an entire lamb roasted and served with rice and nuts, fresh salads, followed by a variety of fruits and various filo dough desserts and puddings.
In addition to food, Eid al-Fitr is a time when Muslim families come together and exchange presents, much like Christian families do during Christmas!
There are special rules for Eid al-Fitr, including a special prayer that Muslims must pray. For Muslims who might have missed days of fasting and must make them up after Ramadan, they are forbidden from fasting on these days.
This is not a holiday, but rather a religious pilgrimage time that Muslims are required to fulfill at least once in their life. While Muslims do not have to go during these dedicated days, millions of Muslims make the trip every year.
Hajj takes place during the last calendar month, Dhu al-Hijjah. Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca. What is Mecca? Mecca is where the Ka'aba shrine stands in Saudi Arabia. It is a large black cube, and is considered the center of the world by Islam.
Well-off Muslims make the trip several times in their lifetime to receive purification not only for themselves but for close family members who died without performing the Hajj. Once a Muslim completes the Hajj, they are given a special title: "Al-Hajj" for men and "Al-Hajja" for women. This title holds a lot of respect in Islamic communities.
You can learn more about the specific rituals of Hajj here.
Eid al-Adha
This feast takes place during the month of hajj, and part of the order of events Muslims must follow on their pilgrimage. But those who are not on hajj also celebrate it on the 10th day of the last calendar month, Dhu al-Hijjah.
Eid Al-Adha is a remembrance of when Abraham almost sacrificed his son to Allah. Muslims believe he was going to sacrifice Ishmael, but Genesis 22 tells the story of Abraham obeying God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of his faith. Eid Al Adha officially begins after the pilgrims offer a sacrifice. If they have the means, they sacrifice an animal near the place where they believe God provided a replacement for Ishmael – or they pay for someone to sacrifice the animal in their name.
What can Christians do with their Muslim friends around Muslim holidays?
We just listed a lot of opportunities for you to get to know your Muslim friend better! When a major holiday is coming up, this is a time to show them you care about them and want to understand them. We’ve come up with some questions you can ask your friend for any of these days, but first, a note of caution.
It is important to know the difference between loving your Muslim friend, and possibly coming across like you agree with or support Islam. As Christians, we do not celebrate these holidays or rituals that honor Muhammad or Allah, but that does not mean you can’t talk to your friend about them.
Are you celebrating this holiday?
Some Muslims are devout followers, others partake in it as a cultural custom, so be sure to ask your friend if and why they celebrate so you can understand where they’re coming from!
What does this holiday mean to you?
What do you do during this holiday?
Can I be praying for anything in particular for you during this time?
As the Bible says, be ready at all times to answer any questions your Muslim friend might have for you! Who knows? They might ask why you don’t celebrate with them and you can then share your own faith in Jesus.
“...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…” 1 Peter 3:15
Prayer for your Muslim friend during their holiday
Dear Jesus, please give my Muslim friend curiosity and hunger for more than what Islam offers them. Open a door for them to hear the Good News and be receptive to it. Please show me how to best love them and be a light in their life during this holiday. Amen.
