Ramadan fasting ended on Monday as Muslims around the world revelled in Eid Al Fitr celebrations.
The festive ritual lasts for three days. Traditionally, families prepare heritage recipes and meet loved ones for early prayers and gatherings in parks.
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Libyans gather at the Bab al-Jadid gate in the old city of the capital Tripoli, as they celebrate the third day of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP -
Libyans gather around a troupe at the Bab al-Jadid gate in the old city of the capital Tripoli, as they celebrate the third day of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP -
Kadim Al Sahir, Iraqi singer performs at the Eid concert held in Etihad Arena, Yas Island. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Ladies sing along to Iraqi singer, Kadim Al Sahir during the Eid concert held in Etihad Arena, Yas Island. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Sherine Abdelwahab, Egyptian singer performs at the Eid concert held in Etihad Arena, Yas Island. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
An Iraqi boy rides a horse during Eid Al Fitr celebrations at an amusement park in Sadr city, Baghdad, Iraq. EPA -
A Syrian girl looks out of the rear window of a vehicle transporting families celebrating Eid Al Fitr in Afrin. AFP -
Palestinian children celebrate Eid Al Fitr on a swing at a fairground in Kharas village, north of Hebron in the West Bank. AFP -
A child fires an air rifle at plastic targets filled with coloured liquid at a fairground during Eid Al Fitr in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. AFP -
Children play on Eid Al Fitr at a displaced persons camp in the village of Killi in Syria's rebel-held north-western city of Idlib. AFP -
Qataris and residents celebrate Eid Al Fitr with fireworks on the seaside promenade in Doha. AFP -
Palestinian children play during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Rahaf in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -
Fireworks go off at Festival City Mall in Dubai during the Eid holiday. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
View of Eid Fireworks display from Cafe del Mar at Yas Bay Waterfront in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Visitors take photos near the giant sculpture at Yas Bay Waterfront during the Eid Al Fitr holiday in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
An aerial view of Muslims visiting the graves of their relatives at the Wadi Al Salam (Valley of Peace) cemetery in Iraq's holy city of Najaf. AFP -
Palestinians enjoy their time on the first day of Eid Al Fitr in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip. Getty Images -
Muslim devotees pray on the first day of Eid Al Fitr in the Heliopolis neighbourhood in Cairo, Egypt. AFP -
The Corniche during the Eid Al Fitr holidays in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Fireworks above the Yas Bay waterfront. Victor Besa / The National -
Muslims on the first day of Eid Al Fitr outside the Haghia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. AP -
Palestinians enjoy their time on the first day of Eid Al Fitr in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. Getty Images -
Iraqi Muslims visit a cemetery during a dust storm on the first day of Eid Al Fitr at the cemetery of Hassan Al Basri in the Zubayr District of Iraq's southern Basra governorate. AFP -
Displaced Syrian children take part in a performance during an event organised by volunteers on the first day of Eid Al Fitr near the town of Sarmada in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. AFP -
Moroccan King Mohammed VI Commander of the Faithful, third right, flanked at left by the Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and his brother Prince Moulay Rachid, fourth left, pray during Eid Al Fitr at the residence of Sale near Rabat. AP -
Children enjoy a swing ride during the Muslim holiday of Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan at the port city of Sidon, Lebanon. Reuters -
An Iraqi boy poses for a picture on the first day of Eid Al Fitr in the Zubayr District of Iraq's southern Basra governorate. AFP -
A Syrian child dressed in traditional Damascene dress stands as Muslims attend the prayers of Eid Al Fitr in Syria's rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib. AFP -
Muslims receive gifts in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in Old Jerusalem. AFP -
A Palestinian visits graves of deceased relatives during the first day of Eid al-Fitr holiday in Gaza City. AP -
A Palestinian man plays with his children after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Gaza City. AFP -
An aerial view taken by drone shows Palestinian Muslims perform the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Gaza City. AFP -
Muslims celebrate in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in Old Jerusalem. AFP -
People arrive for Eid al-Fitr prayers outside a mosque in Sana'a, Yemen. EPA -
People attend Eid al-Fitr prayers outside a mosque in Sana'a, Yemen. EPA -
Palestinian girls perform morning prayers to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
Emirate cleric Aref Sheikh leads the Eid Al-Fitr prayer at Nad Al Hammar Eid Musalla in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. EPA -
Sunni worshippers exchange greetings after Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in Mosul, Iraq. Reuters -
A soldier stands guard as people participate in the Eid al-Fitr prayers next to the 'Revolution Fist', outside Al-Amin Mosque in Martyr's Square, downtown Beirut, Lebanon. EPA -
People participate in the Eid al-Fitr prayers outside Al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. EPA -
Masjid Bani Hashim was built as a replica of Palestine’s Dome of the Rock. Victor Besa / The National -
Malek Mohamed, 7, after Eid prayers with her candies and Eid gift. Victor Besa / The National -
People during the morning Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
People greeting each other’s after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Children and adults are also wear new clothes to observe Eid.
The celebrations will be welcome after two years of subdued festivities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Life is back to normal in many countries after governments eased restrictions after vaccination campaigns to combat a new wave of infections caused by virus variants.
In Saudi Arabia, Eid was marked with fireworks across the country.
After Isha, or the final prayer of the day, people headed out to buy sweets and Eid gifts, and shop for the celebrations.
Malls and public places played traditional Eid music.
“The excitement and feeling is palpable wherever you go, from the streets to malls or along the Corniche. Everyone is out playing Eid songs and it is the most joyful festival for kids who are excited for their Eid gifts and adults who get to dress up and meet their families and friends in a grand celebration over the next three days” said Lamar Alsayeed, a Saudi living in Jeddah.
Across the Middle East, Eid is often welcomed with sweet and stuffed pastries called kahk and mahmoul. In South-East Asia, it is marked with steamed rice served with rich meat dishes and desserts.
In the Lebanese capital Beirut, hundreds of people performed Eid Al Fitr prayers outside Al Amin Mosque. They defied the financial meltdown and the economic catastrophe endured by their country, which left many citizens unable to make ends meet.
But this year’s Eid comes in the shadow of a surge in global food prices, which has heavily affected countries relying on imports of wheat and other culinary essentials such as sunflower oil and dairy products following the war in Ukraine.
The higher food prices have contributed to a broader increase in inflation, which adds to economic hardship for poor populations and the needy.
Hobbled by budget pressures, most families in the Middle East are used to cooking at home, with favourites including Eid cookies. Proud home cooks often share social media photos of their mouth-watering, freshly backed orange biscuits and sugar-dusted cookies.
Many people are determined not to let the high prices dampen the Eid spirit.
“Come and try the best kahk you can ever have. It’s more delicious than the pricey ones in bakeries and supermarkets,” Somia, an Egyptian woman, said on Instagram of her mother’s kahk recipe.
Palestinian women in Gaza and the occupied West Bank also compete to display their traditional date and nut-filled biscuits to mark Eid.
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Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. All photos: SPA -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah. -
Eid Al Fitr prayers in Makkah and Madinah.
In Iraq, security concerns come with celebrations. The authorities have closed some vibrant streets for vehicles, including the capital's famed Al Mutanabi street on the banks of the River Tigris.
A symbol of Iraq’s cultural and intellectual life, the street with its book and souvenir shops and iconic balconies has undergone extensive redevelopment, while maintaining its identity.
In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, tens of thousands attended prayers on Monday morning at the largest mosque in South-East Asia.
The Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta was shut when Islam’s holiest period coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and was closed to communal prayers last year.
“Words can’t describe how happy I am today. After two years, we were separated by the pandemic. Today, we can do Eid prayer together again,” said Epi Tanjung, a resident in Jakarta, told AP.
In Afghanistan, people are celebrating the first Eid since the Taliban takeover, when it ousted a US-backed government in August amid grim security and economic conditions.
Frequent explosions marred the period leading to Eid. These included fatal bombings, most claimed by an ISIS affiliate known as ISIS-K. These attacked ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly Shiites, leaving many of them debating whether it was safe to attend Eid prayers at mosques.
“We want to show our resistance, that they cannot push us away,” said community leader Bakr Saeed before Eid. “We will go forward.”
AP contributed to this story from Indonesia and Afghanistan.
