There are many popular Eid Al-Fitr traditions among the people of Saudi Arabia. Some like to hand out sweets to children, for example, while others exchange gifts. One of the most common is for families to get together on Eid morning for a special breakfast.
This is no normal morning snack, it is a veritable feast many families enjoy together after returning from the early-morning Eid prayers. In some places, such as Hail in northern Saudi Arabia, families share their Eid breakfast with neighbors, either by inviting them into their homes or joining together for an outdoor street party, complete with seasonal decorations and carpets, for which each family prepares food to share.
In the Kingdom’s central region, and some other areas, families typically cook mufattah, a traditional meat dish reserved for special occasions such as weddings or the Eid holiday. Although only eaten once or twice a year, it is highly popular in Saudi Arabia and usually made with lamb.
Asim Alotaibi, the owner of Asim’s farm, a butcher’s shop in the Alnarjis neighborhood of northern Riyadh, said: “The animal itself should be clean and healthy. At our farm, we feed our animals grass and barley. The animal can either be young or old; therefore the taste of the meat differs according to the age of the animal.
“The most important thing to me is the quality of meat, and you won’t fully know how good of a quality your product is unless you fed the animal yourself, you managed the process of feeding the animal, and know exactly what your animal is eating.”
Alotaibi said his shop specializes in locally reared lamb and wild camel meat. He owns his own farm in the desert outside of Riyadh, where he said it is important the animals, especially camels, are able to roam free and graze naturally.
This style of organic, free range farming has its challenges, however. Alotaibi told Arab News that it means livestock is more vulnerable to theft, for example, and on one occasion he lost 120 sheep to thieves while his business was preparing delivery orders for a large number of customers a week or two before Eid.
When asked what people should look for when buying meat, Alotaibi said that the way it has been prepared and stored is no less important that the initial quality of the meat itself. Often, people look for what they think is the freshest meat at their local grocery store without paying any attention to how it has been stored, he added.
Khalil Mohammed, a butcher at a supermarket in northern Riyadh, explained how he ensures meat remains at its best.
“We first wash the meat immediately after we skin the lamb,” he said. “Then we wrap the meat in a white cloth. After that, the meat must be stored in refrigerators in cool temperatures ranging from 0 to 5 degrees Celsius.”
He said that storage temperature is key to ensuring the quality of the meat remains high. The lower the temperature, the better the chance it will remain fresh and flavorful for longer.
In terms of the quality of the meat itself, Mohammed said that “the ratio of meat to fat matters,” along with the quality of veterinary care the animals receive.
“The animal must be examined by the veterinarian before it is slaughtered, to ensure it is healthy,” he explained.
Eid Al-Fitr, which begins on Friday in Saudi Arabia, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of three days of celebrations and family gatherings.
Eid Al-Fitr prayer proves to be a memorable and heartfelt affair for Saudi residents
As Muslims across the globe prepare to celebrate the first of two eids on the Muslim calendar, many initiate the day’s festivities with a morning prayer.
The Eid Al-Fitr prayer has long surpassed its type as a sunnah (an action of the Prophet Muhammad) and positioned itself, emotionally, as a fardh (obligatory act) in the hearts of Muslims around the world and across the Kingdom.
Abdullah Hajjaj’s family stays up all night on the eve of Eid Al-Fitr for the sweet reclamation of morning coffee after a month of abstinence during Ramadan. He gets together with members of his father’s side of the family for the caffeine boost, handing out chocolates and taking photos, just before heading off to perform Fajr prayer, followed by the Eid Al-Fitr prayer.
Originally hailing from Madinah, their usual destination was the Prophet’s Mosque, but due to the congestion of crowds and difficulties in coordination and reaching the location, they now perform the two prayers in Al-Qiblatain mosque.
He told Arab News: “Praying at Al-Qiblatain doesn’t feel too different as long as we go there together as a family.”
“Later after prayer, we go back to my uncle’s house for breakfast. This has been a tradition in our family for over 40 years, since the days of my grandparents, God rest their souls,” he said.
Hajjaj recalls the morning breakfasts he would enjoy with family, composed of recipes passed down from his grandparents. As the sun rises before prayer, the sounds of Eid Takbeer, the act of chanting the name of Allah in unison, echo in the wind, creating a feeling of joy and harmony among the people.
Continuing this routine even though the prayer is not an obligatory religious act means continuing over four decades of family tradition. It is not only an act of faith, but a declaration of a strong familial bond.
“Being originally from Madinah, the home of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we always follow his teachings and try to pass them to the next generations. By praying together, we ensure this tradition is kept intact,” Hajjaj said.
Riyadh-based Atheer Al-Khudairi’s family arrives at the local neighborhood mosque already dressed to the nines in their Eid clothing. They hand out eidi, or money, and candy to the children and say hello to the neighbors just before prayer commences.
She told Arab News: “You can sense the energy in the air during Eid prayers. Everyone’s happy and celebrating…There’s always a cool wind in the morning. Everyone’s on good vibes.
She told Arab News: “You can sense the energy in the air during Eid prayers. Everyone’s happy and celebrating…There’s always a cool wind in the morning. Everyone’s on good vibes.
“This is what makes us feel like Eid has started. Before and after prayer, we start sending out texts and making calls to our family and friends.”
Afterward, they return home for a potluck breakfast with contributions from aunts and uncles, just before sinking into a “food coma” for the rest of the afternoon. She recalls her mother bringing the latest trending dish trend to the table, such as cheese platters and “the circle of happiness,” a dish made with Halloumi cheese, vegetables, eggs, and mugalgal meat all laid out in rings.
Former Jeddah resident Shaima Shamsi’s festivities began as soon as Eid Al-Fitr was announced. The day the holiday falls on is tentative, with each region confirming its celebration day with the sighting of the moon.
The night before, her mother would lay out the milk, cream, Indian vermicelli, dates, nuts, and spices, to start preparing sheer khurma — an indication that Eid is just a sunrise away. While the parents would go to bed after a rushed night of errands and last-minute preparations, the children stayed up in anticipation.
Al-Amoudi Mosque in Jeddah’s Al-Khalidiyyah district was the destination of their loved ones.
Shamsi told Arab News: “Everybody would go to that mosque as well, so it was a collective decision where you begin your Eid by being around people who are important to you, all doing the same thing.
“There were sweets given out throughout the mosque. Little girls and boys all dressed up in their adorable dresses and thobes, everybody wearing their most beautiful abayas. There’s a calmness in the entire room that I feel like I remember very clearly.”
As a child, expecting abundant goodie bags, sweets, and small amounts of money made the whole affair worth the wait.
“As I grew older, it was nice to take those chocolates and give them out to younger kids, so we always went to the mosque with something as well,” Shamsi said.
After coming back from Eid prayer, breakfast was served at home in the company of their closest neighbors, followed by an afternoon nap in preparation for the night’s official celebrations.
Keeping up with these small traditions is part of embracing community, she believes. “Coming together is what makes it so memorable.”
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