Iranians celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Monday

Iranian Muslims have started the celebrations of one of the most auspicious religious festivals, Eid al-Fitr, on Monday.

Iran is slated to mark the occasion in two days on Monday and Tuesday.

More than 1.5 billion Muslims across the globe have celebrated one of the most auspicious religious festivals, Eid al-Fitr, on Sunday or Monday.

Eid al-Fitr, meaning “festival of the breaking of the fast”, marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan which the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk.

Since timing of Eid al-Fitr is based on seeing the moon of the new month in Islamic lunar calendar, sometimes it may be difficult to calculate the time of the Eid.

When the day of Eid is clear, Muslims gather at mosques and other religious sites to pray.

The festival is usually celebrated by visiting friends and relatives, hosting parties, offering feasts as well as sweets, and giving donations as well as food to those in need.

The occasion is considered as an opportunity to seek forgiveness and show gratitude to Allah for helping people to complete their pious ritual of fasting.

Most of the Muslim countries observe the Eid with announcing two or three days as public holidays.

MG/MG