Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

A question was asked by a child on a radio, why do we not have the Eid days on fixed days like the christains on 25th september, unfortuantely my knowledge is extremely limited to give a rational answer to this question. Please assist with a logical answer 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Eid on Same day

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

It is only natural that when two sets or standards of counting or numbering the days (or anything else) are used, depending on which parameter is used as standard, the other would remain floating.

If the pre-dominant calendar of the world was the Hijra Calendar, then indeed Eid would be fixed on the first of Shawwal; and the day celebrated by our Christian brethren as Christmas would be floating in the Hijra calendar!

Likewise, because today the Gregorian calendar is predominant in the world, it may seem to one that Christmas is celebrated on a fixed day, and the day of Eid is the one that is floating. The truth is that both the days are fixed according to their particular calendars.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan