What is Eid?

0:00 Welcome to Philosophy is not boring by Kidopoly.com. I'm Mira! And I'm Finn. Today we have a huge shout out to 8-year-old Hazel, 10-year-old Matilda, and 5-year-old Sawyer who are listening all the way in Cork, Ireland!

0:18 Wow! All the way in Ireland! Hazel, Matilda and Sawyer sent us an amazing question about a massive global celebration. And it's exactly what we are exploring today.

0:30 If you haven't already, tap follow wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode.

0:36 Okay Mira, so picture this. Imagine trying not to eat a single snack or drink a single drop of water from first light before the sun even comes up until the sun goes down.

0:49 Wait, not even water? For how long?

0:52 Not even water. And you do it every single day for a whole month.

0:58 That sounds incredibly difficult. If someone bakes chocolate chip cookies right in front of you, you just have to sit there and smell them all day.

1:07 Uh no, I mean that's not gross. That's just torture. My stomach is growling just thinking about it.

1:16 It definitely takes willpower. But millions of people all over the world do exactly that every year. And when that month is finally over, they throw one of the biggest, most joyful celebrations on the planet. Oh, I know this. We're talking about Eid. Exactly! Today we're asking, what is Eid and why is it such an important celebration in Islam?

1:40 So let's start with the basics. The word Eid is an Arabic word, and it simply means a feast or a festival.

1:47 A feast makes sense after a whole month of not eating during the day. But wait, do kids have to fast too?

1:55 Actually, no. In Islam, young kids, people who are sick, older people, or even people who are travelling don't have to fast. It's meant for adults who are healthy enough to handle it.

2:07 Phew. Okay, that's good. But why do it at all? Why choose to be hungry and thirsty?

2:14 It's a great question. The month of fasting is called Ramadan, and Muslims don't fast as a punishment. It's actually a deep spiritual practice. It's about learning patience and gratitude.

2:27 I guess if you don't have water whenever you want it, you start to really appreciate that glass of water when the sun goes down.

2:34 Exactly. It reminds you not to take everyday things for granted. But there's another really important reason. Fasting helps you feel what it's like for people who don't have enough food.

2:45 Oh. Wow. So instead of just feeling bad for someone who is hungry, you actually feel the hunger yourself.

2:54 Yes, it builds empathy, it connects you to the struggles of others. And that brings us to the first big festival, which happens the very minute Ramadan ends. It's called Eid al-Fitta.

3:06 Eid al-Fitha, the festival of breaking the fast. I bet that first breakfast is legendary.

3:14 It really is. But here's the cool philosophical part about Eid al-Fitha. Before anyone even goes to the morning prayer, before they start the feast, they have a special rule they have to follow. The rule is about something called zakat al-Fitr. It's a special charity.

3:30 Charity? Like giving money to people who need it?

3:34 Right. Every single family is required to give a certain amount of food or money to the poor in their community before the Eid prayers begin. Why before the prayers? Why not just give it whenever? Because the whole point of Eid is that it is a community celebration. The idea is that no one, literally no one, should go hungry on Eid.

3:56 If your neighbour can't afford a feast, you give zakat so they can celebrate too.

4:02 That's actually amazing. It's like if you're throwing a massive party, you make sure everybody gets an invitation and everybody gets a slice of cake. Exactly.

4:12 It connects back to what they learned during Ramadan. You spent a month feeling what it's like to be hungry. So, on the day of the feast, your first thought is making sure nobody else is hungry.

4:24 I really like that. It feels fair, like you aren't just celebrating for yourself.

4:31 And that feeling of fairness and sharing is everywhere on Eid morning. Families wake up early, they take a bath, put on their finest brand new clothes, and gather outdoors or in big mosques for special Eid prayers. Outdoors?

4:46 Like in a huge park?

4:48 Yes. Often thousands of people pray together in a park or a huge square. And when the prayer is over, everyone turns to each other, hugs, and says, Eid Mubarak. Eid Mubarak. What does that mean? It means blessed festival. It's a way of wishing someone a joyful and happy holiday.

5:09 Wait, but you said earlier there are two Eids. If this is the one after the fasting month, what's the other one?

5:15 The second major festival is called Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice. It happens later in the year during something called the Hajj. What's the Hajj? The Hajj is an amazing annual journey. Millions of Muslims travel from all corners of the globe to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

5:36 It's a huge pilgrimage that honours their faith. Millions of people all going to the same place at the same time. That must be incredible to see.

5:46 It really is. And during that time, Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid al-Adha. This one is all about honouring a story of deep trust. In the tradition, a prophet named Ibrahim was tested by God. Tested how? God asked Ibrahim to sacrifice what he loved most in the world, his son, to show his absolute trust.

6:13 Ibrahim was willing to do it because of his faith, but at the very last second, God stopped him. A ram was provided instead.

6:22 Oh man, that is heavy. I'm glad he didn't have to do it.

6:26 Me too. It's a story meant to show that true faith means trusting even when it's hard. So today, to honour that trust, families who can afford it will sacrifice an animal, like a sheep or a goat. What happens to the meat? Well, here's where that theme of fairness comes back. They don't keep it all for themselves.

6:49 They divide the meat into three equal parts. One part is for their own family.

6:54 Okay, that's one third. Who gets the rest?

6:58 The second part goes to their friends and relatives, and the third part is given completely away to people in need, so that once again everyone has a beautiful meal on Eid.

7:09 Wow, it's like a giant web of sharing. The whole world is just splitting their food with their neighbours.

7:16 Exactly. And that's why Eid is so relevant to all of us, no matter what we believe. Think about when you get a gift or have a big party.

7:25 Well, I usually just want to play with my own toys and eat my own cake.

7:31 Which is totally normal. But Eid challenges us to think differently. It asks, what if joy isn't something you keep in a box for yourself? What if joy actually gets bigger the more you chop it up and hand it out?

7:45 I like that. Joy getting bigger when you hand it out. And speaking of handing things out, didn't you mention something about kids getting gifts?

7:54 Yes. One of the best traditions for kids is called Eidie. On Eid, older relatives give children crisp new money or gifts just to celebrate.

8:05 Wait, a holiday where kids just get handed cash from their uncles and grandparents. Sign me up immediately.

8:13 It's definitely a highlight. But the food is incredible too. Because Eid is global, the dishes are different everywhere. In South Asia, a famous dessert is shear kurma. Shear kurma? What is it? It's a warm, sweet, rich milk pudding made with dates, nuts, and tiny toasted vermicelli noodles.

8:35 Wait, sweet noodles? Actually, that sounds absolutely amazing. Sweet, milky, crunchy noodles.

8:44 It is, and the best part is taking a bowl over to your neighbour's house, whether they celebrate Eid or not, just to share the sweetness. Alright Finn, time for the quiz. Are you ready?

8:55 Okay, I'm ready. Bring on the Eid questions.

8:59 First question. What does the Arabic word Eid actually mean? Next one. During the month of Ramadan, when do Muslims fast from food and water? Question 3. What is the special charity given before Eid so everyone can afford to feast? Here's number four. What is the traditional greeting people say that means blessed festival?

9:37 Last question, what are the gifts or money given to children on Eid called? Great job! Let's see how you did. The first answer is Eid means feast or festival. For question two, they fast from dawn until sunset. Number three, the answer is it's called zakat al-fitr. Question four. The greeting is Eid Mubarak.

10:08 And the final answer is the gifts for kids are called Edi.

10:12 You know, I really love the idea that before you celebrate yourself, you have to look around and make sure everyone else can celebrate too. That's a pretty amazing way to live.

10:23 It really is. It turns a party into something that knits a whole community together.

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10:57 Thank you so much for exploring with us today. See you next time on Philosophy is not boring. Bye everyone!