Short answer
Muslims have two religious festivals: Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha during the Hajj season. Friday is the weekly day of congregation, and there are special days of worship such as the Day of Arafah, Laylat al-Qadr and Ashura. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, the Eids move about 11 days earlier each year and can fall in any season.
The two Eids are the only religious festivals in Islam. Eid prayer is wajib in the Hanafi school for those on whom Jumu'ah is obligatory, and fasting on the days of Eid is makruh tahrimi (forbidden). Adding new yearly religious festivals is not part of the sunnah.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Eid prayer is a stressed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah), not wajib.
- Maliki
- Eid prayer is a stressed sunnah.
- Hanbali
- Eid prayer is a communal obligation (fard kifayah).
Explanation
When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, people had two days of play from before Islam. He told them Allah had given them two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. These remain the festivals of Muslims everywhere.
- Eid al-Fitr: the day after Ramadan ends. Muslims give zakat al-fitr, pray the Eid prayer, wear their best clothes, visit family and give gifts.
- Eid al-Adha: the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, during Hajj. Muslims pray, sacrifice an animal and share the meat with family and the poor. Takbir continues over the following days.
Beyond the Eids, some days and nights are special for worship rather than celebration: every Friday with the Jumu'ah prayer, the month of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah and the Day of Arafah, and Ashura in Muharram. The Islamic New Year has no special celebration; see the Islamic New Year. Some Muslims also mark the Prophet's ﷺ birthday, and scholars differ on that; see Mawlid.
Muslims do not celebrate Christmas, Easter or Diwali as religious festivals, though they stay kind to neighbours and family who do. In winter there is no fixed Muslim holiday. Because the Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ramadan and the Eids rotate through all the seasons over about 33 years. Check this year's dates on Eid and the Islamic calendar, and see how to pray Eid salah.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Eid al-Fitr celebrates completing Ramadan and glorifying Allah.
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:28
لِّيَشْهَدُوا۟ مَنَٰفِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍۢ مَّعْلُومَٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْبَآئِسَ ٱلْفَقِيرَ ﴿٢٨﴾
That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.
Eid al-Adha and its days are days of remembering Allah and sacrifice.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1134
Graded sahih... قد أبدلكم الله بهما خيرا منهما يوم الأضحى ويوم الفطر ...
"Allah has replaced them for you with something better: the day of Adha and the day of Fitr."
The two Eids are the festivals Allah gave Muslims.
Sahih al-Bukhari 952
Sahih... إن لكل قوم عيدا وهذا عيدنا ...
"Every people has its festival, and this is our festival."
Muslims celebrate their own Eids with joy.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, Bab Salat al-Idayn. The Hanafi ruling that Eid prayer is wajib.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Sawm, the discussion of forbidden fasts. Fasting on the days of Eid is prohibited.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.