Saskatoon’s Muslim community celebrated the end of Ramadan on Monday as thousands gathered to mark the conclusion of the holy month.
At Prairieland Park, an estimated 10,000 Muslim people celebrated Eid Al-Fitr, according to an organizer.
Lineups spilled out into the lobby as attendees waited their turn to pray.
Mueez Rafiquie, with the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan, said this is the biggest celebration of the year for his community and for him personally.
“This is a mandatory prayer for Muslims. Thousands or tens of thousands of Muslims across Saskatchewan — everybody in their own way will be partaking in this in some capacity,” Rafiquie told CTV News.
Rafiquie said crowds were much larger this year because the event has been stifled over the past two years because of the pandemic.
Being able to gather in person again is very significant, according to Rafiquie, because celebrating with friends and family in-person is an important part of the day.
The Bait ul Rahmat Mosque was expecting up to 1,000 people to come and celebrate the end of their fasting.
Mubarik Syed is with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Saskatoon and said a big focus of this day is praying for renewed hope for peace around the world.
“We have been praying in this month not only for ourselves and our family, but for people around the world. People in Ukraine, or Afghanistan or Africa and for all of humanity no matter where they are suffering,” Syed told CTV News.