| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Date of Issue | April 3, 2023 |
| Year | 2023 |
| Quantity | 330,000 |
| Denomination |
 PERMANENT™ (P).Current monetary value: $0.92. |
| Postal Administration | Canada |
| Condition | Name | Avg Value |
|---|
Eid Mubarak! Celebrate the Muslim festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha with this booklet of 6 stamps.
About the issue
This stamp issue commemorates the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which are celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada. These events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift giving and acts of charity.
About the stamp and booklet design
Crafted in medieval Iran during Ramadan, the hand-painted ceramic bowl on this year’s Eid stamp was likely used to serve dates, soups and other foods each night, to break the fast. Part of a collection held by the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), it is inscribed on the inside with a Persian poem. The bowl has a special connection to the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which is also known as the Festival of Breaking the Fast. Written in calligraphy above the bowl are the words Eid Mubarak, a traditional Arabic greeting that means “have a blessed Eid.”
The front of the booklet shows photos of the inside of the bowl. The inside of the booklet features a translation of one of the lines from the poem inscribed on the inside of the bowl, “May you enjoy whatever you eat from this bowl.”
About Eid and Ramadan
Muslims in Canada and around the world fast (abstain from eating and drinking) from dawn to sunset during Ramadan – one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar. This ritual fasting is both an act of worship and a form of self-purification and spiritual growth.
Eid al-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fasting, which is observed from sunrise to sunset, is one of the most distinctive practices in the Islamic religion.
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, in which millions of Muslims journey to one of the holiest sites in Islam – the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The festival also honours the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), a revered figure within Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice Isma’il (known as Isaac in the Jewish and Christian traditions), God substituted a lamb. The festival is also called Eid al-Kabir, or the Greater of the two Eids.
Both festivals embody central Islamic practices and values, including empathy and sacrifice for those in need and appreciation for one’s community and greater humanity. These are expressed through communal prayers and feasts, gift giving and acts of charity.
Crafted nearly 700 years ago in medieval Iran, the elegant, hand-painted ceramic bowl on this year’s Eid stamp became part of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) collection in 1909. Made during Ramadan – one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar – it would likely have served many owners over the centuries as a vessel for foods eaten to break the fast each night.
The bowl has a special connection to the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan. Made of stonepaste – a hard material invented by Middle Eastern potters from a mixture of ground quartz, glass and clay – it is inscribed with a dated poem written for its owner.
“There’s a deep sense of humanity in this bowl that still rings true, especially with all the turmoil in the world today,” says Dr. Fahmida Suleman, Islamic World curator at the ROM. “The poem urges us to take a moment to forget our sorrows and be grateful for what we have – and wishes us protection and a bit of luck. Blues are auspicious in Islam, so even the colours the artist chose were meant to uplift the soul.”