Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan 2014

The Muslim three-day Eid al-Fitr festival, marking the end of the month of Ramadan, began today in parts of the world where sightings of the new moon were made. During Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, devout Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sex from dawn until sunset. The fast, one of the five pillars of Islam, is seen as a time for spiritual reflection, prayers, and charity. After sunset, Muslims traditionally break the fast by eating three dates, performing the Maghrib prayer, and sitting down to Iftar, the main evening meal, where communities and families gather together. Gathered here are images of Muslims around the world observing Eid al-Fitr and Ramadan this year.

Read more
Hints: View this page full screen. Skip to the next and previous photo by typing j/k or ←/→.

Most Recent

  • Kyodo / Reuters

    Images of the Destruction Left by Typhoon Jebi in Japan

    Yesterday, the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years tore through the western part of the country with heavy rain and violent winds.

  • Leo Correa / AP

    In Photos: The Smoldering Remains of Brazil's National Museum

    Photos from the scene of a fire that burned through the 200-year-old National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, destroying countless artifacts.

  • Ahn Young-joon / AP

    Photos of the Week: Bog Snorkeling, Air Guitar, Canadian Calf

    Competition in the 2018 Asian Games, the new tallest statue in the world under construction in India, memorials for both Aretha Franklin and Senator John McCain, and much more

  • Lukas Bischoff Photograph / Shutterstock

    Photos: Along the Namibian Coast

    Namibia has nearly a thousand miles of coastline, shaped by the winds and largely unpopulated, where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean.