A special Eid after a long haul

Thursday 05th May 2022 06:11 EDT
 

Eid al-Fitr was celebrated on 2/3 May, and Eid in the Square will be celebrated in Trafalgar Square the following weekend. 

 

There's plenty for everyone to get stuck into, including:

 

  • Live performances from Baha Yetkin Sufi Ensemble, Nafees Ifran & Qalandar Qawwali Band, Dur Dur Band, Star Children's Choir and spoken word poet Hussain Manawer.

  • A Naughty Boy Kitchen pop-up serving British/Pakistani fusion dishes.

  • Sketch comedy from The Halalians.

  • Family-friendly activities include calligraphy, storytelling, mehndi, face painting, and drama and poetry workshops.

  • Sports activities include Muslim Girls Fencing and Sisterhood FC.

  • Colourful Eid carnival costumes courtesy of Alif New Beginnings.

 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "I'm so excited to be bringing Eid in the Square back to London after two years away. Celebrating the end of Ramadan with Londoners and visitors from all backgrounds demonstrates again how diversity is London’s greatest strength."

Eid in the Square takes place in Trafalgar Square from 12 pm-6 pm on Saturday 7 May, and it's free to attend.

On Monday 2 May, meanwhile, the London Eye will be illuminated with a crescent moonlight display at 7.45 pm, to mark Eid al-Fitr.

 

Millions of Muslims gathered in mosques, parks, community centres and football pitches across the UK to take part in Eid Al-Fitr celebrations on Monday.

 

The occasion marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar which sees Muslims fast every day from dawn until dusk.

 

In England, almost 30,000 worshippers descended on Small Heath Park in Birmingham from 6 am to take part in Eid prayers.

Saleem Ahmed, project manager for Eid in the Park, commented: “Eid is a joyous occasion, where Muslims come together to celebrate, spend time with family and worship as a community.

 

“It is a relief to have such an important celebration return to some normality after such a long time.”

A second event was held at Edgbaston Stadium in the city and saw 2,000 people attend prayers, and later take part in games such as miniature golf, cricket coaching and laser clay pigeon shooting.

Elsewhere in the country, Blackburn Rovers became the first football club in the UK to host Eid celebrations, inviting 3,000 people to pray on the pitch.


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