Journalism of Courage
Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated across India on Saturday while Kerala will celebrate the festival on Friday as the moon was not sighted. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)
Muslims all over the world fast from dawn to dusk on Ramadan, which is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar and is considered a holy period. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)
Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan, symbolises peace and brotherhood. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)
The festival is marked with feasts and the faithful offers prayers at mosques and idgahs to seek blessings of the divine. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
During this auspicious occasion, Muslims across the world celebrate the holy month commemorating the first revelation of the Holy Quran to prophet Muhammad, by observing rigorous fasting from dawn until dusk.They then indulge in a sumptuous meal, known as Iftar. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
It's also meant to be a month of gratitude in which the faithful are reminded of the suffering of those less fortunate. (Express Photo by Javed Raja)
Just as the sun begins to set, Muslims traditionally break their fast as the Prophet Muhammad did some 1,400 years ago, by eating sweet dates and drinking water, followed by a sunset prayer. At night, many fill mosques for evening prayers, known as "taraweeh." (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
Fasting is considered obligatory in Islam, although there are exceptions for children, the elderly, the sick, those traveling and women who are pregnant or nursing. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)
People, especially children dress up in their traditional fineries to mark the festival that spreads the message of brotherhood and communal amity. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastava)
Every year, the dates of Ramadan and Eid change – as the Muslim calendar, which began when Prophet Mohammad migrated from Mecca to Medina (also known as Hijr) in 622 AD – is based on the phases of the moon. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)
