Guide
Hari Raya Puasa vs Hari Raya Haji: What's the Difference?
Singapore gazettes two Hari Raya public holidays each year, and they are often spoken of together, but they mark very different things and fall about two months apart. Knowing which is which makes the calendar make sense.
Hari Raya Puasa (Aidilfitri)
Hari Raya Puasa, or Aidilfitri, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of daily fasting from dawn to sunset. The name Aidilfitri means the festival of breaking the fast, and it falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan.
It is the larger cultural celebration of the two in Singapore. The morning begins with the Aidilfitri prayer at the mosque, followed by visiting: homes are opened, families and friends call on one another over the following days, and the young seek forgiveness from their elders with the words "maaf zahir dan batin" (forgiveness for wrongs seen and unseen). Expect baju kurung and baju melayu, tables of ketupat, rendang and kuih, green duit raya packets for the children (see the duit raya guide), and Geylang Serai lit up in the weeks before.
Hari Raya Haji (Aidiladha)
Hari Raya Haji, or Aidiladha, comes about two months and ten days later, and marks something different: the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice in obedience to God. It falls on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year, coinciding with the days pilgrims complete the Haj.
It is also called the festival of sacrifice, and is marked by the korban (qurban): the ritual sacrifice of livestock arranged through mosques, with the meat shared among family, neighbours and those in need. In Singapore it is quieter and more solemn than Aidilfitri, centred on the prayer and the korban rather than the extended visiting. How korban is carried out and how to take part is arranged through the mosques; the Qurban guide covers the Singapore practice.
The key differences at a glance
| Hari Raya Puasa | Hari Raya Haji | |
|---|---|---|
| Also called | Aidilfitri | Aidiladha |
| Marks | End of Ramadan (fasting) | The Haj pilgrimage & the sacrifice |
| Falls on | 1 Shawwal | 10 Dhul Hijjah |
| Roughly | ~2 months before Haji | ~2 months after Puasa |
| Scale in SG | The bigger celebration | Quieter, more solemn |
What they share
Both are gazetted public holidays in Singapore, so both are paid days off for employees covered by the Employment Act. And both follow the lunar Islamic calendar, so both move about 11 days earlier each year, and Singapore fixes both by MUIS's calculated crescent-visibility method rather than by naked-eye sighting (see when is Hari Raya). The dates for each year are on the 2026 and 2027 pages.
Common questions
Which is the bigger holiday? Hari Raya Puasa (Aidilfitri) is the larger cultural celebration in Singapore, with days of visiting. Hari Raya Haji is quieter and centred on the prayer and the korban.
Why are there two Hari Rayas? They mark two separate events: the end of Ramadan's fasting, and the Haj pilgrimage and sacrifice. They are not the same festival on two dates.
Are both public holidays every year? Yes. Both Aidilfitri and Aidiladha are gazetted public holidays in Singapore each year.
Can I say "Selamat Hari Raya" for both? Yes. "Selamat Hari Raya" works for either; people often add "maaf zahir dan batin" at Aidilfitri.
For anything on how each is observed, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) is the source. This guide is a plain-English overview, not a religious ruling.