What does it mean word for word?
The word مبارك means "blessed" or "prosperous".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egypt, people often use Eid Sa'id for both formal and informal greetings. In the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine), people often say Kol 'am wa anta/anti salim to wish someone a happy Eid. In the Gulf region (Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar), people often use the phrase Eidik/Idik Mubarak, which translates to "Blessed Eid".
How do you pronounce it?
‘īd aḍḥā mubārak
When do people say it?
A common way to respond to this greeting is علينا وعليكم, which means "upon us and upon you". Another very common alternative greeting used during Eid is كل عام وأنت بخير, meaning "May every year find you well" or "May every year find you in good health" (as in Kul 'am wa antum bi-khair).
Did you know?
- While عيد أضحى مبارك is the standard name, the holiday is often colloquially called 'Eid al-Kabir' or 'The Big Eid'. This distinguishes it from 'Eid al-Fitr', which is known as the 'Small Eid'.
- The word مبارك used in the greeting is a linguistic relative of the Hebrew word מְבֹרָךְ, as both descend from the same ancient Semitic root for 'blessing'.
- In many cultures, the greeting عيد أضحى مبارك is accompanied by the tradition of 'Eid visiting', where families visit relatives in a specific order of seniority.
Example conversation
Yusuf and Nour meet for the first time during the holiday.
- يوسف Youssefأهلاً يا نور، عيد أضحى مبارك!Ahlan ya Nour, Eid Adha Mubarak!Hello Nour, happy Eid al-Adha!
- نور Nourشكراً يا يوسف، عيد مبارك عليك أيضاً.Shukran ya Yusuf, Eid Mubarak alayka aydan.Thank you Yusuf, a blessed Eid to you too.
- يوسف Youssefكيف تقضين يوم العيد اليوم؟Kayfa taqdeen yawm al-Eid al-yawm?How are you spending Eid day today?
- نور Nourأنا أقضيه مع عائلتي في المنزل.Ana aqdihi ma'a ailati fil-manzil.I am spending it with my family at home.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries أضحى, عيد, مبارك, CC BY-SA 4.0.
