Ramadan’s end is announced after the sighting of the first crescent of the new moon.
The first day of the month of Shawwal on the lunar calendar is called Eid al-Fitr, which is decided when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. The Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to sermons and give Zakat al-Fitr or donations to the poor and needy people.
Muslims across Iran and other parts of the world turn out en masse to take part in the occasion’s special congregational prayers.
Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic on several occasion underscored the spiritual significance of feast of Eid al-Fitr.
According to Imam Khomeini, the Eid is a divine reward for faithful people who have overcome the devil-inspired carnal desires after fasting of an entire month.
Imam also puts emphasis that the Eid prayers boosts unity among Muslim ummah and restore dignity to them, and finally provides a platform to confront aggressive policies and cruelty of the arrogant powers.
The great Imam once said in his historic Eid message as following: “Fitr is the day appointed by God Almighty for the Muslims so that, by their congregation for the prayers and sermons, relevant to every era…”
(Sahifeh, vol. 3, Page: 171 Message, September 26, 1976)
The Muslim world leader used to say that the fasting during Ramadan doesn’t just mean to prevent form eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, but recommended the believers to avoid all bad characteristics and decorated themselves with all moral excellence during this holy period.
The thought of contemporary leader of Islamic world regarding the spiritual event has deep roots in Quran, Sunnah and the Islamic traditions narrated by the holy prophet of Islam and his infallible successors.
It is worth-mentioning that Imam Khomeini also used to extend his felicitations to the nations on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Fitr by sending congratulatory messages to heads of state and people of the Muslim countries on this religious and spiritual event.