Birmingham Hosts Biggest Eid al-Fitr Celebrations in Europe
Some 60,000 Muslims held the Eid prayers in Birmingham's Small Heath Park as the holy fasting month of Ramadan came to an end.
When it first began three years ago, only a few thousand people showed up to the park.
On Friday, however, a record-breaking 60,000 men, women and children descended upon Small Heath Park in Birmingham to read the morning Eid al-Fitr prayers as Muslims the world over celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Last year, officials said some 44,000 people turned up to pray.
But yesterday miles of plastic sheeting was spread out in rows along the grass as horns blared in the, at one point, four-mile long traffic jam consisting of thousands of families battling to make it into the park, the Independent reported.
After the prayers were over, the crowds quickly livened-up when the Celebrate Eid event roared into life as people from backgrounds flocked into the park to take part in the family activities on offer in what was described as the ‘biggest Eid celebration in Europe’.
Eid al-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
The auspicious holiday commonly begins with communal prayers at major mosques or other prayer sites after a predetermined amount of money is set aside as alms.
Muslims mark the rest of the day by wearing new or neat clothes and joining family members, relatives and friends to eat and have a good time together.
Also on Eid al-Fitr, Muslims are encouraged to be especially generous and forget any grudges against friends and relatives.
