Muslims around the world celebrated the festival of Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, March 22, 2026, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The exact date is determined by the sighting of the new moon, and Saudi Arabia's moon sighting committee announced the start of Eid for much of the world.
Celebrations included special morning prayers, known as Salat al-Eid, in mosques and open spaces. Worshippers dressed in their finest clothes for the occasion. The festival is a time for gratitude, charity (Zakat al-Fitr), and festive meals with family and friends after a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting.
Major celebrations were reported from Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, to the Middle East, South Asia, and Muslim communities across Europe and North America. Leaders, including those in Egypt, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, extended holiday greetings to their citizens and Muslims worldwide.
Eid al-Fitr, which translates to "Festival of Breaking the Fast," is one of the two major holidays in Islam. It is a public holiday in many countries, with schools and government offices closing to allow for communal and family gatherings.
