Rulings on `Eid

The Prophet's words "Every nation has its festival, and this is your festival" indicate that these two `Eids are exclusively for the Muslims, and that it is not permissible for Muslims to imitate the kuffar and mushrikeen in anything that is a distinctive part of their celebrations, whether it be food, dress, bonfires or acts of worship. Muslim children should not be allowed to play on those kafir festivals, or to put up decorations, or to join in with the kuffar on those occasions. All kafir or innovated festivals are haram, such as Independence Day celebrations, anniversaries of revolutions, holidays celebrating trees or accessions to the throne, birthdays, Labor Day, the Nile festival, Shimm al-Naseem (Egyptian spring holiday), teachers' day, and al-Mawlood al-Nabawi (Prophet's Birthday).
The Muslims have no festivals apart from `Eid al-Fitr and `Eid al-Adha, because of the hadeeth narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "The Messenger of Allah [an error occurred while processing this directive] (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madeenah and the people had two days when they would play and have fun. He said, 'What are these two days?' They said, 'We used to play and have fun on these days during the Jahiliyyah. The Messenger of Allah [an error occurred while processing this directive] (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Allah has given you something better than them, the day of Adha and the day of Fitr.'" (Sunan Abi Dawood, 1134)
These two `Eids are among the signs or symbols of Allah which we must celebrate and understand the aims and meanings behind them.
There follows a discussion of some of the rulings and manners of the two `Eids according to Islamic sharee'ah