Photos Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al

Eid al-Fitr means ‘festival of breaking the fast’ and marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Muslims receive gifts in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in Old Jerusalem — Muslims receive gifts in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque after the morning Eid al-Fitr prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Old Jerusalem. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]

Muslims around the world are celebrating the three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Eid al-Fitr, or “the festival of breaking the fast”, begins with the first sighting of the new moon, and it often varies from country to country.

Celebrations begin with a special early morning prayer in mosques and open-air spaces and later move on to feasts and festivals.

This year, Eid al-Fitr comes amid a surge in global food prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Against that backdrop, many Muslims are still determined to enjoy the holiday and the easing of coronavirus restrictions in their countries.

But for others, the festivities are marred by conflict and economic hardship.

At the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, tens of thousands of Muslims attended prayers on Monday morning at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. It was shuttered when Islam’s holiest period coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and was closed to communal prayers last year.

Muslims wearing protective masks stand outside the National Mosque after prayer for the Eid al-Fitr, marking the end the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Kuala Lumpur — People gather outside the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. [Vincent Thian/AP Photo]

Muslim devotees offer a special morning prayer to start the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of their holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Peshawar — Muslim devotees offer a special morning prayer to start the Eid al-Fitr festival in Peshawar, Pakistan. [Abdul Majeed/AFP]

Muslims wait outside the King Abdulaziz Mosque to perform Eid prayers, during Eid al-Fitr in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Children play outside the King Abdulaziz Mosque before prayers during Eid al-Fitr in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [Ahmad Yosri/Reuters]

People sit onboard passenger ferries to travel home to celebrate Eid al-fitr, at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, in Dhaka — People sit on passenger ferries to travel home to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal in Dhaka, Bangladesh. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]

Muslims pray during Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Surabaya — Muslims pray during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Surabaya, Indonesia. [Juni Kriswanto/AFP]

Muslims offer prayers during the first day of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan outside the iconic-historic Haghia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul — Worshippers pray during the first day of Eid al-Fitr outside the iconic Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]

Kenyan Muslims offer the Eid al-Fitr prayers outside Masjid As Salaam in Nairobi, Kenya — Kenyans offer Eid al-Fitr prayers outside Masjid As-Salaam in the capital Nairobi. [Sayyid Abdul Azim/AP Photo]

Young women take pictures following morning prayers at The Foundation of the Islamic Centre of Thailand mosque during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Bangkok — Young women take photos following morning prayers at The Foundation of the Islamic Centre of Thailand mosque during Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Bangkok. [Jack Taylor/AFP]

People perform morning prayers to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip — People perform morning prayers to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Muslims gather for Eid al-Fitr prayer outside Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt — Worshippers gather for Eid al-Fitr prayer outside Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt. [Mohamed Abd el-Ghany/Reuters]

An aerial view shows Albanian Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania — An aerial view shows Albanians during Eid al-Fitr prayers at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania. [Florion Goga/Reuters]