Eid al-Fitr is one of the biggest public holidays in Qatar. It’s the day when observing Muslims finish their long fasting period with prayers, charities, and celebrations. Here’s what you should know about it.

Eid al-Fitr, or the “festival of breaking the fast,” marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next month, Shawwal. It is time for Muslim people all around the world to celebrate the accomplishment of their religious duty: a month-long fast from dawn to dusk.

Since the Islamic Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, the beginning of each month is determined by the moon phases. That’s why Eid al-Fitr doesn’t always fall on the same date in the Gregorian calendar used worldwide. In 2026, the Eid al-Fitr moon sighting hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the crescent moon will likely appear either on March 19 or March 20, marking the official Eid al-Fitr date.

According to Islamic scholars, during Eid al-Fitr, observing Muslims express their gratitude for having enough strength to fulfill the Ramadan fasting. That is why Eid al-Fitr is always preceded by big, community-wide prayers when people come together to show the unity of the congregation.

The sense of togetherness is another significant part of Eid al-Fitr, so it is important to provide even the poorest members of the community with an opportunity to join the feast. That’s why Zakat al-Fitr, a small but obligatory donation, is made before the Eid prayer.

Eid al-Fitr is also known as a “movable feast”. During this celebration, people wear new clothing, greeting each other with blessings “Eid Mubarak” (“Blessed Eid”) and "Kul 'am wa enta bi-khair” ("May every year find you in good health"), exchanging gifts, and indulging themselves in festive food. 

Traditional Eid cuisine in Qatar includes machboos (chicken with rice), thareed (bread soup), harees (a dish made of bulgur of wheat, not unlike porridge), and balaleet (sweet vermicelli), as well as various desserts.

Moreover, malls and restaurants around Qatar organize Eid feast brunches. Check the social media of a restaurant or a mall you want to visit for more information.

Please note that the first three days of Shawwal month are official public holidays in Qatar. Government offices, schools, and most businesses would be closed during this period.

For 2026, Amiri Diwan announced a seven-day Eid al-Fitr holiday for the public sector, starting from March 17. The first working day will be Tuesday, March 24. Furthermore, the Ministry of Labor announced that the private sector will have a three-day holiday. The Qatar Central Bank confirmed the official public holiday from Thursday, March 19, to Monday, March 23. The first working day will be Tuesday, March 24. 

Eid working hours of healthcare services

Medical relations and treatment abroad within the Ministry of Public Health will be closed on the day of Eid, Friday, and Saturday, while the Death Registration Unit works from 8 AM to 12 PM. The Hamad Medical Corporation emergency and inpatient services continue to operate 24/7, and 21 out of 31 PHCC health centers will remain open. 

The healthcare contact center (16000) will be available 24/7.

Fahes Eid working hours

Between March 17 and March 19, all Fahes stations will operate between 8 AM and 4:30 PM, with gates closing at 4 PM. On March 21, only the Mazroua station will remain open, between 6 AM and 6 PM.

On March 22 and 23, all Fahes stations will continue their operations with working hours from 6 AM to 6 PM. The gates close at 5:30 PM.

Eid working hours for shopping malls

Place Vendôme Mall will operate between 9 AM and 12 AM, with retail stores working between 10 AM and 11 PM. Doha Mall’s working hours are from 10 AM to 10 PM, while Doha Festival City can be visited between 9 AM and 1 AM. 

Furthermore, Mall of Qatar operates between 9 AM and 1 AM, with stores opening at 10 AM.