Bridgeport area Muslims observed Eid al-Fitr, a three-day-long holiday marking the end of Ramadan, at the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center Friday morning.
Hundreds of men gathered at the center and knelt down in prayer. Others outside mingled with one another, hugging and shaking hands.
Community relations is one of the holiday’s core values, according to Khaled Elleithy, president of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center.
Eid al-Fitr is considered one of the most important religious holidays in Islam since it comes after Ramadan, a month-long observance where Muslims fast during the daytime and devote themselves to reading the Quran and self-reflection.
The holiday is usually observed during the first crescent moon sighting and lasts for more than a day. While the day begins with prayers, many people also take the day as an opportunity to celebrate with feasts, celebrations and handing out sweets and candy to children. Certain traditions and observances vary by country and region.
Elleithy said Eid is also another way for people to get to know each other.
“It's a time that people meet each other. And so it actually builds stronger relations between community members and family members,” he said.
Eid is also seen as a period of renewal. Many observers put on new clothes during Eid to signify a new start. But people also engage in acts of charity, one of the five pillars of Islam, by donating money to the poor or to charitable causes.
