End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) in Western Sahara

Meaning and date

Eid al-Fitr begins on 1 Shawwal in the Islamic calendar. It celebrates the end of Ramadan’s fasting; the Gregorian date changes each year, and the Sahrawi Ministry of Religious Affairs and Traditional Education has announced the holiday after the crescent was sighted.[1][3]

How it is observed

An account from the Sahrawi Press Service describes worshippers gathering at designated prayer grounds for Eid prayers and a sermon. The report says the prayers took place across the wilayas it covered, with people exchanging greetings; it describes the day as a time for compassion, communication and strengthening community ties.[1]

A statement from the Sahrawi religious ministry also recommends washing, wearing one’s best clothes, putting on perfume, eating an odd number of dates before prayer, and taking a different route home. These are recommendations in the statement, not evidence that every household follows the same customs.[1]

Public holiday and practical arrangements

A Moroccan decree lists the first and second days of Shawwal as paid holidays for employees of public administrations, public institutions and concessionary services, and the Moroccan administration’s official holiday page says public administration work is suspended on listed holidays.[2]

That rule describes Moroccan public administration; it does not establish a uniform closure rule for every authority, employer or service in Western Sahara. Check with the particular office, business or operator before making plans.[2]