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 |  | Report compiled by Muhammad Imran, an English Muslim who lives in Coventry with his family
Eid ul-Fitr ("Celebration of the Breaking of the Fast") is a time of great happiness and rejoicing, to be spent in the warm embrace of the family, sharing presents and food with neighbours and friends.
In 2004, Eid ul-Fitr takes place on 14 November.
ÌýA beloved month for Muslims
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| Ìý |  | A Muslim in prayer
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Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar.
It marks the end of a month-long fast during the month of Ramadan.
As the third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam, fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control.
Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to Allah.
Fasting is also a way of experiencing hunger and developing compassion for the less fortunate, and learning to be thankful for, and appreciative of, all of God's bounties.
Fasting is, moreover, advantageous to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits.
Ramadan is also a time of concentrated worship, reading of the Qur'an, purifying one's behaviour, giving charity and doing virtuous deeds.
It is a particularly beloved month for Muslims as it was the month in which the Holy Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
ÌýA day of joy and thanksgiving
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| Ìý |  | Preparing food for a feast
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Eid means recurring happiness or festivity. Eid is celebrated all over the world by Muslims with much enthusiasm and fervour and people from all strata of life can be seen adorned in beautiful new clothes, visiting the mosques to attend Salat-ul-Eid (Eid prayers) in the morning.
This is followed by a short sermon, after which everyone socialises. Greetings of "Eid-Mubarak" or "a blessed Eid" are exchanged.
Next, people visit each other's homes and partake in festive meals with special dishes, beverages, and desserts. Children receive gifts and sweets on this happy occasion.
So, Eid Ul-Fitr is a day of joy and thanksgiving. On this day, Muslims show their joy for the health, strength and opportunities of life, which Allah has given them to fulfil their obligations of fasting and other good deeds during the month of Ramadan.
It is considered unholy to fast on this day. It is also a day of forgetting old grudges and ill feelings towards others.
Ìý| Ìý |  | A Muslim woman wearing a veil
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A very important aspect of Eid ul-Fitr is charity, which all Muslims are expected to extend to the needy. The act of charity on Eid is known as Zakat-ul-fitr. Earlier, this was in the form of gifts in kind but now cash is often given instead.
The Prophet Muhammad warns his followers: "He, who sleeps on a full stomach, whilst his neighbour goes hungry, is not one of us."
ÌýMuslims are doubly fortunate as they actually have two Eids in a year to celebrate.
The second important Eid celebration is called "Eid Al Adha", ("Celebration of Sacrifice"), which marks the end of the pilgrimage or hajj on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.
Although only the pilgrims in Makkah can participate in the Hajj fully, all the other Muslims in the world join them by celebrating.
ÌýRead about Ramadan by following the link on the left.
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