End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) in Azerbaijan

Meaning and place in Azerbaijan

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast. Azerbaijan’s Judicial-Legal Council describes Ramadan as a time associated with religious duties, good deeds, compassion and mercy, and says the holiday is marked in Azerbaijan each year.[2]

The holiday is called Ramazan Bayramı in Azerbaijani. Baku’s city administration says the month-long fast, called orucluq in its English-language page, ends with Eid al-Fitr and that the holiday has been celebrated at state level since 1993.[3]

Dates and the public-holiday rule

Azerbaijan’s Labour Code lists Ramazan Bayramı as a two-day holiday. It says those days are not working days, and that the dates for the following year are to be determined and announced by the relevant executive authority by the end of December.[1]

The Code also provides for a weekly rest day that coincides with a non-working public holiday to be moved to the next working day after the holiday. It has a separate provision for Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha coinciding with another non-working public holiday: the following working day becomes a rest day. The resulting calendar therefore depends on the dates and the applicable workweek.[1]

Prayer, charity and local observance

Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations published guidance from the Caucasus Muslims Board describing Eid al-Fitr as the first day of Shawwal, subject to the moon’s visibility, and discussing fitra alms for people in need. The statement links the holiday with prayer, fasting and charitable giving.[4]

A notice from Nakhchivan’s Justice Ministry provides a local example of mosque observance: it announced Eid prayers at mosques for the morning of the holiday. Prayer times in that announcement applied to that particular year; visitors should check current notices from local religious authorities for the relevant date and location.[5]

Eid al-Fitr is marked with mosque prayers and charity.[4][5]

What to expect as a visitor

Because the two holiday dates are non-working days under the Labour Code, plan for many ordinary workplaces to be closed or operating on altered schedules. The law allows work on non-working public holidays only in exceptional circumstances specified by the Code.[1]

Check directly with the bank, shop, transport service or public office you need, and consult official announcements about that year’s dates and any transferred rest days.

Eid al-Fitr worldwide

Across Muslim communities, Eid al-Fitr follows Ramadan. UNESCO’s Azerbaijan National Commission describes Ramadan as the ninth month of the lunar calendar and explains that iftar is the meal and social practice associated with ending the daily fast at sunset.[6]