[Muslims offering Speical Eid prayers at the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday June 16, 2018. (AFP Photo)]
Eid al Fitr 2018: Muslims around the world celebrated Eid Al-Fitr on Friday and Saturday, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The Eid moon is sighted in different countries on two different days. Hence, the first day of Eid al Fitr was on Friday in some countries, and on Saturday in others.
Eid al Fitr was celebrated in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar as well as Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia on Friday June 15, 2018. Muslims in Russia, France, Japan and Singapore also celebrated Eid on Friday.
Those who celebrated Eid on Saturday include Muslims of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, New Zealand and Australia. However, in some parts of India like in Kerala, Bhatkal, Mumbai and part of Gujarat Eid was celebrated on Friday.
Muslims in Indian cities of Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Patna, Lucknow, Chennai, Agartala, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bhopal, Bhubneshwar, Ranchi, Mumbai and Malegaon offered Eid al Fitr prayers on Saturday June 16. Eid prayers was offered at Eid Gah ground in most of cities. But they were offered in mosques in Mumbai and some other cities because of bad weather condition.
In Andhra Pradesh, State Chief Minister Chanrababu Naidu in a show of solidarity joined the Muslims gathered on the Vijayawada Eidgah ground to offer Special Prayers of Eid.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain and former VP Hamid Ansari offered Eid prayers at Parliament Street Mosque in New Delhi, and keeping aside political differences, exchanged greetings on the special day.
The Muslims in Nagaland celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr by offering namaz at Eidgahs in Kohima and Dimapur districts. They also gave alms to the poor and exchanged gifts with their near and dear ones on the occasion of the festival, marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
In West Bengal Capital Kolkata, thousands of Muslims assembled at the biggest congregation on the Red Road (Indira Gandhi Sarani) to offer special prayers on the occasion. Markets in various Muslim-dominated areas in the city were decorated on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Imams of different mosques called for peace, harmony and brotherhood while extending wishes and greetings to the people.
Muslims celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in Tamil Nadu with usual fervour, with special prayers among others marking the day. Prayers were offered across various mosques as well as designated prayer spots in different cities of the state such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Vellore and elsewhere. People exchanged pleasantries and greeted each other on the occasion.
In Kashmir, however, one person was killed during clashes between protesters and security forces even as men, women and children dressed in their best thronged mosques and Eidgah across the Valley for Eid celebrations.
Sheeraz Ahmed was hurt during the clashes at Brakpora in Anantnag and he later succumbed to injuries, police said, adding another person was injured in the clashes in Safakadal.
Muslims from all walks of life started making a beeline to the Eidgah (prayer ground) or a mosque for offering the Eid prayers as a thanksgiving for the month-long fasting of Ramadhan. The biggest gathering was witnessed at Hazratbal shrine where thousands of faithful offered the Eid prayers, officials said.
Likewise, Eid prayers were offered in all of Pakistan, Bangaldesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka today morning. Muslims exchanged greetings and festivities to celebrate the Eid al Fitr - the annual festival which marks end of the Holy month of Ramadan.
On the occasion, Muslims prayed for peace and prosperity and Imams reminded them the importance of peace as defined in Islam and propagated by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). "Islam and peace are synonymous. Islam means peace", Abdul Waheed Nadvi said in the Eid sermon delivered at Mohammadiya Eidgah in Malegaon where women and children also joined the males to offer Special Eid prayers.
In an air of festivity and religious fervor, Muslims all over Saudi Arabia celebrated the Eid on Friday. In their Eid and Friday sermons, imams at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah urged the faithful to uphold the true spirit of spirituality and piety that they attained through fasting and prayers in the holy month throughout the remainder of their life.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman joined over a million worshipers who performed Eid al-Fitr prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The prayer was led by Sheikh Saleh Bin Humaid, advisor at the Royal Court and Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque.
More than one million faithful gathered at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah where the Eid sermon was delivered by Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Bin Muhammad Al-Qassem. Sheikh Maher Al-Moaiqali and Sheikh Abdul Bari Al-Thubaiti offered Friday sermons at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque respectively. Millions of Muslims, including women and children, turned out to offer Eid prayers at mosques and prayer grounds across the Kingdom.
In his Eid sermon, Bin Humaid urged the faithful to fulfill their duties and obligations toward themselves as well as to their God, parents, kith and kin, neighbors, rulers, fellow beings and all others. He underscored that Eid is not only a day of joy for Muslims but also a unique opportunity to further strengthen their bonds to God through celebration of the values of humanity, enhanced family relations, compassion, love, empathy and forgiveness.
Bin Humaid emphasized the need to foster unity and solidarity among the members of the Islamic Ummah in a way ensuring security and stability for the nation and the people. “There is no security, no stability, and no development in an environment full of instability and crisis, and that the only way to salvation, safety and prosperity is through achieving unity and solidarity and maintaining honesty in dealing with problems and crises,” he said.
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