Ask A Muslim: Gifts for Eid
What do you want to Ask a Muslim? Submit your questions online or fill out the form below.
A coworker who is Muslim gave me a gift for Christmas. I would like to reciprocate during one of their holidays. Is there a certain holiday or gift that would be most appropriate?
Reader, you asked this question at a perfect time. Across the globe Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan.
To mark the end of this holy month, we celebrate the religious holiday called, “Eid-ul-Fitr.” In Muslim countries it’s a national holiday and the celebrations lasts for three days.
On this day we start our day with special Eid prayer, dress up nicely, enjoy traditional dishes together, visit and exchange gifts with family and friends. Cash gift known as Eidi, is the most common gift given during this festival between families. Exchanging gift is one of the important tenets of Islam. Thus, Eid-ul-Fitr is the perfect time when you can give your Muslim co-worker or friend a gift.
The formal greeting for this holiday is “Eid Mubarak” or “Have a blessed Eid”.
This year Eid-ul-Fitr is falling on April 21. Since Muslims follow lunar calendar this date changes every year.
Assorted gift boxes of tea or coffee, fruits, nuts or dried fruits and chocolates are some examples of appropriate gifts. Avoid anything that contains alcohol, pork and its by-products. As per Islamic dietary laws these are forbidden and prohibited for Muslims.
Ask a Muslim
What questions do you have about Islam? Fill out the form below and our writer will get back to you by writing a column in response.
