Eid Mubarak wishes for family, friends and everyone at the table.

When is Eid al-Fitr 2027?

Eid al-Fitr is expected on or around Wednesday 10 March 2027 in India. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan in the Islamic calendar, and the Islamic calendar is lunar, so Eid moves about eleven days earlier every year. The exact day depends on the sighting of the new moon, which is why Eid can fall a day apart in different countries, and often a day later in India than in the Gulf. The final date is announced the evening before.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the month in which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It begins with a special Eid prayer in the morning, at a mosque or an open-air eidgah, and before the prayer families give Zakat al-Fitr, or fitrana, a charitable gift so that everyone can celebrate. Then comes the best part: new clothes, visits to family and friends, sweet dishes like sevaiyan and sheer khurma, and Eidi, gifts of money for the children.

In India and across South Asia it's often called Meethi Eid, the sweet Eid, to set it apart from Eid al-Adha, or Bakrid, which comes about two months later.

Chand Raat

The night the new moon is sighted is Chand Raat, the night of the moon. Markets stay open late, hands are decorated with mehndi, and families finish the last of the Eid preparations. "Chand Raat Mubarak" is a lovely message to send that evening, especially to friends you won't see the next day.

What do you write in an Eid message?

"Eid Mubarak", blessed Eid, and one more line: a dua for their home and health, a thank-you, or a detail from how they celebrate. "Eid Mubarak, Ammi and Abbu. Every Eid memory I have smells of your sevaiyan" says far more than a forwarded crescent moon. For elders, keep the blessing central and use aap. For friends, a joke about the biryani or the Eidi is part of the fun.

How to reply to Eid Mubarak

The traditional reply is "Khair Mubarak", blessings to you too, or simply "Eid Mubarak to you too". A longer reply often includes "Taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum", may Allah accept it from us and from you, which many people use to wish that each other's fasts and prayers are accepted.

Wishing a Muslim friend or colleague

If you're not Muslim, a warm "Eid Mubarak" is always welcome, and friends notice who remembered. Congratulating them on completing Ramadan is a thoughtful touch, because a month of fasting is hard work. If you're invited to someone's Eid meal, go, bring sweets, and send a thank-you message the next day. At work, a short wish on the morning of Eid, or the day before if they'll be off, is ideal.

Eid far from home

Many people spend Eid away from family, for work or study. A video call after the Eid prayer, when the family is together at the table, is the closest thing to being there. Send photos of your own Eid, however small, and ask for theirs. A message that pictures the table, the sevaiyan and the noise tells them you're thinking of home.

Eid wishes for colleagues and clients

Keep them short, warm and respectful: "Eid Mubarak! Wishing you and your family peace, happiness and prosperity." For a team, wish those celebrating a good day with their families and make it clear the work can wait. For clients in the Gulf, check the local date, which may be a day earlier than India's.

When to send an Eid message

Once the moon is announced, the evening before, a "Chand Raat Mubarak" or an early Eid Mubarak is perfect for friends you won't see. On the day itself, the best time is after the morning Eid prayer, when families are home and sitting down to eat. Eid is often celebrated over two or three days, with visits to relatives spread across them, so a message on the second day is still warmly received, and a belated wish a day or two later is completely normal.

Eid wishes for elders

For parents, grandparents and older relatives, lead with respect and a dua: a wish for their health, for their prayers to be accepted and for the family to stay together. Use aap, and if you can't visit, call. Many families still give and receive Eidi as adults, from the eldest to the youngest, and a line thanking an elder for years of Eidi is a sweet, personal touch.

Eid wishes in Hindi and Hinglish

"ईद मुबारक" is universal. "आपको ईद की ढेर सारी मुबारकबाद" is a warmer, fuller wish, and a line about the moon and sevaiyan suits a status. In Hinglish, "Eid Mubarak! Aapko aur aapke ghar walon ko dher saari khushiyan aur barkat mile" is a lovely wish for elders and neighbours.