Eid-Ul-Fitr in Mauritius
Eid-Ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadhan, the Muslim month of fasting, and is a public holiday in Mauritius. The day is observed with morning prayers at mosques and is recognized by law alongside the country’s other religious and national holidays.[1][2]
Meaning and Mauritian context
Eid-Ul-Fitr is a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing for Muslims, marking the close of Ramadhan. The Mauritian government describes it as one of the country’s religious festivals, celebrated in a society shaped by several cultures and faiths.[2]
Mauritius’s Muslim community has historical ties to migration from India. The government’s history notes that Indian indentured labourers who came to the island after the abolition of slavery included people of both Hindu and Muslim faiths.[2]
Prayer and places of worship
Morning prayers at mosques are part of the observance. Eid-Ul-Fitr is also a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing.[2]
Port Louis’s Jummah Mosque is a notable Islamic place of worship, built in the 1850s in the city’s Chinatown.[3]
Public holiday and practical effects
The Public Holidays Act lists the day of celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr among Mauritius’s public holidays. The Act separately identifies only the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary or All Saints Day as alternate public holidays, and does not set an alternate date for Eid-Ul-Fitr.[1]
For practical planning, the Act says that official acts due before a judge, court officer or government official on a public holiday may be done the following day. It also says that negotiable instruments due on a public holiday are payable the following day. The Act does not establish that every shop, bank or transport service closes, so check directly with the service you need.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is Eid-Ul-Fitr a public holiday in Mauritius?
Yes. The Public Holidays Act lists the day of celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr among the country’s public holidays.[1]
How is Eid-Ul-Fitr observed in Mauritius?
The government describes morning prayers at mosques and a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing for Muslims.[2]
Are government offices, banks and shops closed?
The Act provides that certain official acts and negotiable instruments due on a public holiday may be handled the following day. It does not specify that every office, bank or shop closes, so check with the relevant service.[1]
Is there a substitute day if Eid-Ul-Fitr falls on a weekend?
The Act does not set an alternate date for Eid-Ul-Fitr. Its alternate holiday provision names the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary or All Saints Day.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Eid-Ul-Fitr in Mauritius:
- PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT- Government of Mauritius, Laws of Mauritius
- Republic of Mauritius- Government of Mauritius
- Tourist Sites- Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Mauritius