Thousands of Muslims across Metro Vancouver kicked off the celebration of Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Muslim communities gathered in more than a dozen locations across the region to partake in the Eid prayers.

Traditionally, Eid al-Fitr is a time of family festivities for Muslims around the world.

“It is a celebration of good faith and friendship. You have to be good to each other, visit family friends, and visit poor people,” said Mohammed Shameem, chairman of Masjid al-Salaam in Burnaby. “We also remember those people who have passed away in the family. We invite our neighbours, whether they are Muslims are not, to share our joy and be festive with them.”

B.C. Premier John Horgan issued a statement on the occasion of Eid, praising Muslim British Columbians for helping “build a better province for everyone”.

“Ramadan teaches us the importance of gratitude while reminding us to be compassionate toward those who are less fortunate,” Horgan said. “As traditional prayers, food and well-wishes are exchanged, the universal values of unity, charity, and peace are also celebrated on Eid al-Fitr. These are values this government shares.”

Horgan vowed that his government “is committed to standing up for diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also applauded Muslim Canadians’ contributions to the country and said that his government “will always stand with Canada’s Muslim communities. We will continue to fight against Islamophobia and hatred in all its forms, and together, we’ll keep building a better Canada.”

Eid al-Fitr is one of the biggest religious celebrations of Muslims. It comes at the end of the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims across the world abstain from eating or drinking from dawn to dusk and indulge in prayers and in a more self-disciplined lifestyle.

How is Eid al-Fitr celebrated?

While traditionally Eid al-Fitr is celebrated as a three-day official holiday in most of the Muslim-majority countries, the number of vacation days varies depending where a person lives.

In Canada, however, Eid al-Fitr is a one-day celebration in Muslim communities.

Eid al-Fitr (or the festival of breaking of the fast) begins in the morning after the end of Ramadan with Muslims gathering to partake in prayers, followed by a short sermon.

After that, the holiday begins with Muslims greeting one another with congratulatory phrases like “Eid Mubarak” or “blessed Eid”, visiting families and friends, and eating delicious foods.

Dressing in new clothes is another important marker of Eid.

According to Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey, about 3.2 percent (1,053,945 people) of the country’s total population are Muslims, making Islam the second largest religion in Canada after Christianity.

Statistics Canada’s 2011 Census reported that 1.8 percent of British Columbians are Muslims.

However, the Muslim Association of Canada has estimated that there were around 90,000 Muslims in Metro Vancouver in 2017. This represented 2.4 percent of the region's population.

The City of Burnaby is said to have the highest concentration of Muslims in Metro Vancouver, with the religion being followed by five percent of its residents.