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Muslims celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan

Also called the “Festival of Breaking Fast,” Muslim families mark the day with early morning prayer, sharing breakfast, exchanging gifts and participating in fun activities for children.

To celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, on June 4, 2019, Abid Siddiq, center, hugs one of his his fellow worshipers at the end of morning prayer at the Muslim Youth Center of Philadelphia that signals the end of Ramadan.
To celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, on June 4, 2019, Abid Siddiq, center, hugs one of his his fellow worshipers at the end of morning prayer at the Muslim Youth Center of Philadelphia that signals the end of Ramadan.Read moreMICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

Muslims around the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting and prayer that concludes Tuesday with the Eid al-Fitr, one of the most important days of the Islamic calendar.

It is also called the “Festival of Breaking Fast.” Muslim families mark the day with early morning prayer, sharing breakfast, exchanging gifts, and activities for children. Mosques throughout the region are hosting joint observances in parks and community centers.

Thousands are expected at Philadelphia Eid in the Park, where eight mosques are hosting a celebration outside the Please Touch Museum in Fairmount Park. The Muslim Youth Center in Northeast Philadelphia is expecting more than 700 at its event, which will include prayer, breakfast, and games for children.

On Sunday, Muslim women gathered in Kensington to prepare for the holiday at an event called Eid Suite. Guests shopped for clothing and other items, broke the fast together with a lasagna dinner, and sat with a Henna artist who painted designs on their hands.

The event was founded six years ago by Maymunnah Harris to provide a platform for Muslim-owned businesses and foster a sense of sisterhood.

“It’s about unity and a good vibe,” said Harris, who owns the Maison de Chic hair salon in North Philadelphia. “And for the non-Muslims that come, we want them to be able to see the beauty that is in Islam.”