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Along with 1.8 billion Muslims around the world, we will be celebrating the Islamic festival of Eid ul Fitr this week.

One of the biggest annual occasions of the Islamic year, Eid marks the completion of the month of Ramadan during which time Muslims have refrained from eating and drinking every day from dawn to dusk.

Ramadan is marked by an intense togetherness and sense of Muslim community, and this flourishes during the festival of Eid ul Fitr, which literally means the ‘breaking of the fast’.

The day begins with the most significant of congregational events: the Eid prayer at the mosque. Thousands will stream towards their local and regional mosques, wearing their finest Eid clothes, often bought especially for the day of celebration. The crowds are so immense that worshippers spill out onto pavements, traffic grinds to a halt, and parking becomes impossible.

Later in the morning extended families will be reunited to share the day’s celebrations, with children in particular being spoilt with gifts and money. In the Subcontinent, the gift is called ‘eidi’, in Malay populations the money is called ‘duit raya’.

Large Eid festivals are held for Muslims to gather to celebrate the day, including in countries where Muslims are in minority populations.

The joy of Eid is one that unites the global Muslim population over three days, no matter their culture, language or geography. It is the Muslim ummah showing its sense of unity in its finest moment.

On this occasion of sharing joy and strengthening relationships, Ogilvy Noor would like to wish you a joyful, blessed and prosperous Eid.