Worshippers across the Middle East and beyond have begun marking the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, one of the most celebrated holidays for the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims and traditionally a time for family and festivities.
The holiday marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, when devout Muslims have been fasting from sunrise to sunset.
Many – including Muslims in western nations – began celebrations on Tuesday, but because its start date is based on the sighting of a new moon it varies from country to country and sometimes within the same nation.
Millions of Muslims around the world gathered on Tuesday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month when followers fast from dawn until sunset (pictured, worshippers in Ethiopia today)
Thousands gathered in Addis Ababa stadium, in the Ethiopian capital, on Tuesday morning (pictured) to take part in prayers before spending the day feasting with their families and friends
This was the scene outside the Central Mosque in Moscow on Tuesday morning as thousands of Muslims began the three-day Eid celebration with solemn prayer
A flock of birds swoops over the heads of Libyan Muslim worshippers gathered in the Martyrs Square of the capital Tripoli
Thousands of worshippers gather in Small Heath Park, Birmingham, to take part in early-morning Eid prayers on Tuesday
Prayers held in Birmingham, England, for the start of Eid al-Fitr on Tuesday morning. Around 20 per cent of the city’s 1million residents identifies as Muslim
More than 100,000 worshippers amassed in Birmingham’s Small Heath Park (pictured) on Tuesday in what is the largest Eid gathering anywhere in Europe
Turkey’s Muslims offer prayers during the first day of Eid al-Fitr at Istanbul’s Suleymaniye Mosque early on Tuesday
Eid prayers mark the beginning of a three-day festival during which most Muslims make time to spend with their families and friends, while breaking their month-long fast
Bosnian Muslims attend morning prayers in front of the main Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Islamic worshippers press their heads to the ground in prayer at a mosque in Grozny, Russia, during Eid al-Fitr prayers
Women take part in Eid al-Fitr prayers at The Pumwani Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya, to mark the end of Ramadan
A square in Naples, Italy, is filled with Muslim worshippers celebrating the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Tuesday
As part of the celebrations, worshippers make an obligatory donation to charity. Here, a man accepts donations outside a mosque in Abidjan, in the Ivory Coast
Ivorian Muslims offer prayers for the Eid al-Fitr holiday in front of a mosque in Adjame neighbourhood of Abidjan, on June 4
As with everything else in the Middle East, politics often plays a part in the timing of the celebrations.
Ordinarily a festive occasion, this year’s Eid comes amid war and turmoil in more than one area. In Afghanistan, the Taliban insurgent group has said it will not mark Eid with a cease fire, as they did last year.
Yemen has been mired in war and famine for years, while in Sudan, the ruling military just conducted a deadly crackdown on Monday against pro-democracy protesters, killing at least 35.
Pictured: Indonesian youths light firecrackers and flares as they celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadan on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia
Muslim worshippers pray during a mass prayer to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on June 4, 2019 at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa
People pray outside of a mosque called the Masjid at-Taqwa for Eid al-Fitr prayer on June 4, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City
At night, the state-run SUNA news agency announced that the country will celebrate the first day of Eid on Wednesday, but the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, which has spearheaded the protests, declared Tuesday is the first day of Eid according to astronomers in the Khartoum University – in defiance to the military council.
In Yemen, the internationally recognized government said Tuesday is the first day of Eid, while the Shiite Houthi rebels who control much of the country including the capital, Sanaa, announced that Eid starts on Wednesday.
It is the first time in Yemen’s modern history that its people were split over celebrating Eid.
Worshippers offer up prayers in the early-morning light outside the Moscow Cathedral Mosque in Russia, on Tuesday
Two young worshippers eat ice cream during Eid celebrations in Small Heath Park, Birmingham. Some countries will begin their Eid celebrations on Wednesday, because the start of the festival relies on the sighting of a new moon, which varies
People attend Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan
Albanian Muslim men are pictured during morning prayers in the main square of the capital Tirana today
Kenyan Muslims are pictured, today, praying outside Masjid As Salaam during the Eid al-Fitr prayers in the capital, Nairobi
Worshippers at the Juma-Jami Mosque, located in the occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea, knelt for prayers this morning
Kuwait Muslims greet each other after attending a morning prayer session to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Kuwait City
Muslims arrive to perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at Rawza-i-Sharif in Afghanistan, watched by a military guard. Unlike in previous years, the Taliban have said they will not stop fighting during Eid
A mufti and other Muslims pray outside the Moscow Cathedral Mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Fitr in Moscow, Russia today
Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania this morning. The holiday traditionally lasts one to three days and is eagerly anticipated after the month of fasting
Muslim worshippers attend prayers in Mogadishu, in the war-torn African nation of Somalia, on Tuesday
A woman wearing a headscarf and carrying her child makes her way to prayers at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa, in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Female worshippers inside the Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, offer up Eid prayers on Tuesday morning
Women have their hands dyed with Henna, to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, in Karachi, Pakistan
Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the three day festival marking the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is one of the two major holidays in Islam
Muslim Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, as well as Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, started celebrating on Tuesday, whereas Egypt, Syria, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and others said the Shawwal crescent moon was not visible across the country and won’t start till Wednesday.
In Lebanon and Iraq, Sunnis began celebrating on Tuesday whereas Shiites will celebrate on Wednesday.
Pakistan, which is mostly Sunni, traditionally celebrates a day after most of the Muslim world. Pakistan is also split within the country along geographical lines, with residents of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, located on the border with Afghanistan and dominated by ethnic Pashtuns, celebrating Eid on Tuesday.
The new moon was apparently spotted in North Waziristan, while the rest of Pakistan will celebrate on Wednesday.
A young Muslim worshipper runs off during a mass prayer to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on June 4, 2019 at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa
Pictured: Indonesians light flares as they celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadan on a street in Jakarta
A woman stands next to sweets for sale as Palestinians shop ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan
Muslim worshippers perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on June 4, 2019
Pakistani Muslims greet each other after offering the Eid al-Fitr prayers, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a Mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan
In Afghanistan, Shiites were told by clerics that the moon was not seen so Ramadan would not begin for them until Wednesday. Sunnis however are celebrating Tuesday.
The Taliban, which are Sunni hardliners, have said there will be no end to fighting while U.S. and NATO troops are still in Afghanistan.
The holiday traditionally lasts one to three days and is eagerly anticipated after the month of fasting. During Ramadan, the faithful refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or sexual activity from dawn to dusk.
Most businesses close during Eid, as people dress up and visited relatives, enjoying their first daytime meals in a lunar month. Mosques hold special prayers at sunrise, and children are often given gifts or a special allowance.
Muslims pray in a square during celebrations of Eid al-Fitr holiday, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide, in Naples, Italy
Afghan security officials greet people as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, in Helmand, Afghanistan
Muslims leave the 17th of Ramadan mosque after prayers on the first day of Eid al-Fitr holiday in Baghdad, Iraq
Nigerian Muslim worshippers wash themselves before taking part in Eid al-Fitr prayers at the National Stadium sport complex of Surulere neighbourhood in Lagos
Nigerian Muslim worshippers take part in Eid al-Fitr prayers at the National Stadium sport complex in Lagos
Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at Fittja Mosque in Stockholm, Sweden, early on Tuesday. During Ramadan, the faithful refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or sexual activity from dawn to dusk
Worshippers at the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs Mosque (DITIB) in Berlin, Germany, performed morning prayers today (pictured)
Ashraf Ghani, centre, the president of Afghanistan, speaks to crowds of Eid worshippers at the presidential palace in Kabul
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was photographed among the worshippers at Istanbul’s Camlica mosque, the largest in Turkey, which he personally opened last month
Worshippers at King Abdulaziz Historical Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were among those celebrating the start of Eid on Tuesday, while some other Middle Eastern countries will begin Wednesday
Men hug each other after offering Eid al-Fitr prayers at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan this morning
Two women share a tender moment as they wait for the start of Eid prayers in Bucharest, Romania, on Tuesday morning
Egyptian women eat ‘Kahk’, traditional Egyptian butter cookies to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Cairo
Muslims are pictured performing Eid al-Fitr prayer at Osmanagic Mosque in Podgorica, Montenegro, this morning
People perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at the Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque in Historical Open Bazaar, Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Muslims pray outside the Moscow Cathedral Mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Fitr holiday, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide
Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayer at Rawza-i-Sharif (Shrine of Ali) mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Believers during a prayer as part of celebrations of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, a holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, by the White Cathedral Mosque in Tomsk, Russia
Kenyan Muslims stand for prayers outside Masjid As Salaam during the Eid al-Fitr prayers in Nairobi, Kenya