HOW OMAN CELEBRATES EID AL FITR

Depending where you live, how you spend Eid Al Fitr differs

Oman’s diversity will be on full display this Eid Al Fitr, as people across the Sultanate celebrate the biggest day of the year in their own traditional style.

From prayer to special dishes and traditional dances, Eid in Oman differs from place to place, making every celebration unique. Times of Oman asked people across Oman to tell us what Eid in their area was like and the answers were a thrilling example of the Sultanate’s rich, multi-cultural diversity.

Dhofar

All the way down south in Dhofar, preparations begin before Eid itself. Isra Ba Oqba said, “In Dhofar, we cook a meal called ‘Al Majeen’ the day before Eid so that it will be ready to be shared with guests who visit us the next day. We always present it alongside desserts and pastries.” Al Majeen is made from strips of meat that have been dried in the sun for a day or more.

Oqba added, “The most important part of Eid begins after the men return from the prayer. We greet and wish each other a blessed Eid before going out to visit our neighbours. After that, the men take the children on visits to all the houses of their tribe. The women, on the other hand, during the first day, gather in the house of the father or grandfather. With visits to relatives, Eid can last a week or more.”

Musandam

“We don’t have a special meal for Eid in Musandam. We offer sweets, rice and grape leaves to the guests,” Kholoud Al Kahmzari told the Times of Oman.