End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) in Senegal

A legal holiday in Senegal

Senegal’s 1974 law lists Korité among the country’s legal holidays and says legal holidays are non-working days. The law’s text also provides that if Korité falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a holiday. This establishes the day off under the law; the cited text does not specify that Korité itself is paid leave.[1][2]

For residents and visitors, government services may not operate on their usual schedule. Check with banks, shops and transport providers before making plans.[1]

Meaning and date

Korité, also called Eid al-Fitr, marks the end of the Ramadan fast and the beginning of the lunar month of Shawwal. Its date depends on the sighting of the new crescent. Senegal’s National Crescent Moon Consultation Commission has reported gathering observations from across the country to determine when the celebration begins.[3]

The date is not always shared by every community. In one reported instance, the commission set Korité for the day after some Muslim groups had already marked the end of the fast. That report shows why residents and travelers should follow announcements from the community or religious authority they observe.[3]

Prayer, charity, and public life

Eid prayer is a visible part of Korité in Senegal. The government has referred to prayers across the national territory, and the president has attended the celebration at Dakar’s Grand Mosque. These official examples show both nationwide observance and a prominent gathering in the capital.[4][5]

Charity before the prayer is another practice associated with the holiday. Senegalese religious teachers interviewed by the national press described zakat al-fitr as aid intended to help people in need and discussed giving it as food or money. They differed on whether money is an acceptable form, so the article does not present one method as universal.[6]

Korité can also affect travel. In its public communication around the holiday, the government called for smoother traffic and safer transport on roads and highways. Travelers should allow extra time and check service schedules, since the legal holiday text does not set transport timetables or guarantee which private businesses will open.[4][1]