Ramadan ended on 14 June this year, prompting celebrations as the 1.6 billion Muslims across the world mark the beginning of Eid al-Fitr.
Translated from Arabic as “the feast of the breaking of the fast”, the festival will begin as the moon rises on Thursday evening and can continue for up to three days.
Muslims observe a number of traditions during Eid, such as holding prayers and donating money to charity.
What is Eid al-Fitr?
Eid a-Fitr is the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month during which Muslims fast during daylight hours and refrain from sexual activity, among other things.
Ramadan, considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam, lasts between 29 and 30 days, based on when a new moon is sighted by local religious authorities. The sighting means Eid can begin.
The holiday, considered one of the most important in the Islamic faith, has its own particular set of prayers, which Muslims will recite in congregation often in parks, community centres or at mosques.
When does Eid al-Fitr take place?
The exact dates of Ramadan and, in turn, Eid, vary from one year to another on the Gregorian calendar.
This year, Eid-al-Fitr is on 15 June, as the sighting of the crescent moon was on the evening of 14 June.
The festival is a day when Muslims thank Allah for strength and blessings, hoping Ramadan has brought them closer to god. It was first celebrated by Muhammad in 624CE following a victory in battle.
How is Eid-al Fitr celebrated?
A wide variety of practices take place during Eid, the first of which is a special set of prayers saved only for the occasion, known as Salat al-Eid.
Muslims will generally gather at mosque or in open-air locations to carry out prayers on the first morning of the festival before sitting down with family and friends for breakfast, their first daylight meal in a month.
Gatherings will take place in public areas across the UK to celebrate Eid, including in Trafalgar Square in central London, while up to 150,000 are expected to celebrate in Birmingham’s Small Heath Park.
In pictures: The first day of Ramadan
Another important Eid tradition is the Zakat al-Fitr – charity given to the poor at the end of Ramadan.
The donation is aimed at providing the needy with enough so they too can join in the feast and celebrate the breaking of the fast, but can be donated to help the poor or the needy in general.
During Ramadan 2016, British Muslims were estimated by the Charity Commission to have given £371 each to charity on average. Eid al-Fitr should not be confused with Eid al-Adha, the 10th day of the final month of the Islamic calendar and the holiest of all Muslim holidays, when Muslims from around the world will travel to Mecca for pilgrimage.