Community Life

And prayers had to be extended to make sure everyone who attended could be catered for.

Mosque spokesman Mohammad Shakir told BBC London that there had been a happy atmosphere, as Muslims from all different backgrounds came together on Whitechapel Road, on Tuesday morning.

He said: “We had planned to have four prayers, but we had to extend that to five because there were so many people wanting to pray.

Traditional dress

“We had about 18,000 people in the mosque and inside the centre. It was absolutely packed – just teeming with people.

“People from all nationalities came, Somali, African, Pakistani, Indian – there was a real mix.”

In the Bethnal Green area many people could be seen wearing traditional dress to mark the religious festival.

Eid ul Fitr is the day the end of the four-week fast of Ramadan is marked.

Thanks to Allah

The festival begins when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky.

Muslims take their first day-time meal for a month and use the day to thank Allah for giving them the strength to have self-control.

Eid is also a time of forgiveness, and making amends.