Holidays & Events

​Holidays

• Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان)

  • Ramadan is celebrated by Muslims all over the world with fasting for a month by not eating or drinking between dawn and dusk. It is common for families to have a meal before dawn known as the Suhoor, and have a meal just after dusk, known as Iftar. This month of fasting is a time for Muslims to reflect on their faith as fasting is part of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. The other four pillars are prayer, faith, charity, and visiting the city of Mecca, located in Saudi Arabia. People feel “more in touch and connected” with their faith and their god Allah, similar to when Christians go on retreats. Families also feel closer together as the meals are typically eaten and celebrated together.

  • Click HERE for a quick overview of Ramadan

  • Click HERE for a more in-depth explanation of Ramadan

• Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر)

  • Eid al-Fitr (the festival of the breaking of the fast) celebrates the end of Ramadan with a huge three-day festival. Because the Islamic calendar follows the lunar calendar, the festival occurs when the new moon is seen. This means it is not always celebrated at the same time every year. Not only do Muslims celebrate the end of fasting, but Muslims also thank Allah for the strength given to them throughout the last month. Children are often given presents and new clothes to celebrate.

  • Click HERE for an explanation of Eid al-Fitr

    • A cultural tip! There are different denominations of Muslims, just like Christianity. For example, click HERE to see the difference between the Sunni and the Shia (Shiite)

• Ashura - Sep 10 (Arabic: عاشوراء)

  • Ashura is marked by all Muslims. However, for Shia Muslims, it is a major religious commemoration of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad Hussein (Muhammad is spelled many ways). It falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims voluntarily fast for a day which commemorates the day Noah left the Ark and the day that Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God. Ashura is a solemn day of mourning the death of Hussein in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. It is marked with mourning rituals and plays re-enacting the martyrdom. Shia men and women, dressed in black, also parade through the streets slapping their chests and chanting. Leaders encourage people to donate blood.

• Independence Day - Nov 22 (Arabic: عيد الاستقلال)

  • Lebanon was within the Ottoman Empire from 1516 to 1918. The territory that is defined by the present-day borders, became known as a “Grand Liban” (Greater Lebanon). The state remained under French Mandate until November 26, 1941. A constitution was put into place on May 25, 1926. This established a democratic republic with a parliament. Now you may be wondering why they chose November 22 as their Independence Day. This new constitution didn’t come into full effect until November 22, 1943. Hence why November 22 is Lebanon’s Independence Day. Independence Day is considered to be one of the most important public holidays in the Lebanese calendar. In the capital city of Beirut, it is celebrated with a huge parade, featuring military and Lebanese dignitaries. A visit to Beirut during Independence Day will not be a memory you will soon forget.