Ramadan: Muslims celebrate Eid around the world

15 June 2018

A look at the festival of Eid al-Fitr, as Muslims around the world mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Getty Images Filipino Muslim woman attends prayers in a public park to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on June 15, 2018 in Manila, Philippines — A woman in the Philippines attends prayers in a public park to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Manila

Eid al-Fitr is "the feast of the breaking of the fast" that begins when the moon rises on the final day of Ramadan.

About 1.6 billion Muslims across the world marked the festival this year.

AFP Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at the Mevlana mosque in Rotterdam on June 15, 2018 — Muslims pray at the Mevlana mosque in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Ramadan lasts between 29 and 30 days, with the exact dates varying from one year to the next, based on the lunar calendar.

The timing of Eid can vary from country to country and community to community, with some following the moonrise in Mecca, and others using local sightings.

EPA Acehnese Muslims pray during Eid al-Fitr celebrations at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, 15 June 2018 — Eid al-Fitr celebrations at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Indonesia

AFP Afghan Muslims hug each other after offering prayers at the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday which marks the end of Ramadan at the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque in Kabul on June 15, 2018 — An embrace at the Shah-e Do Shamshira mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan

EPA Afghans greet each other after offering special prayers on on Eid al-Fitr in Herat, Afghanistan, 15 June 2018. — This Eid has been even more poignant in Afghanistan as the Taliban announced a ceasefire for the celebration

AFP Somali Muslims take part in Eid al-Fitr prayer which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan at the football pitch of the Jamacadaha stadium in Mogadishu, on June 15, 2018 — Somali Muslims at the Jamacadaha stadium in Mogadishu

Reuters Muslims attend Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Sir Ali Muslim Club Ground in Nairobi, Kenya June 15, 2018 — Prayers at the Sir Ali Muslim Club Ground in Nairobi, Kenya

Reuters Muslims gather for Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of Ramadan, in Small Heath Park in Birmingham, Britain, June 15, 2018 — People arrive for prayers in Small Heath Park in Birmingham, UK

EPA Muslims perform the Eid Al-Fitr prayer outside Al Ameen Mosque in down town Beirut, Lebanon, 15 June 2018 — Al Ameen Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon

EPA An Indian Muslim boy checks himself in a mirror as he buy prayer caps at a shop, prior to the Eid al-Fitr festival in Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, India, 14 June 2018 — A boy checks himself in a mirror as he buys prayer caps in Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir

Eid is marked with a special set of prayers on the first morning of the festival, followed by the first daylight meal in a month, usually shared with friends and family. Many return to their family homes to celebrate.

A vast array of sweet dishes and treats are prepared and consumed.

AFP Iraqis prepare pastries known as Kliga ahead of the Eid al-Fitr Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan, on June 14, 2018 at a pastry shop in Baghdad — Iraqis prepare pastries for the festival at a shop in the capital, Baghdad

AFP Bangladeshis cram onto a train as they travel back home to be with their families ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, in Dhaka on June 14, 2018 — Bangladeshis cram onto a train as they travel back home to be with their families for the celebration

EPA An Acehnese woman prepares ketupat, a type of rice dumpling packaged in palm leaves, in the lead up to Eid al-Fitr at a traditional market in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, 13 June 2018 — At a market in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, a woman prepares ketupat, a type of rice dumpling packaged in palm leaves

A second Eid festival - Eid al-Adha, which means "feast of the sacrifice" - is celebrated just over two months after Eid al-Fitr, at the same time as many Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage.

EPA A Pakistani man buys used clothes as he prepares for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festival, the celebrations marking the end of holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, 13 June 2018 — A man in Peshawar, Pakistan, shops for new clothes for the celebrations

"Eid Mubarak" is a greeting used during the festival - Eid means "celebration" and Mubarak "blessed".

Reuters A vendor sells sweets as Palestinians shop in a market ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip June 14, 2018 — A vendor sells sweets as Palestinians shop in a market in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip

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