2. We’re ending our live coverage of Eid prayers at Bradford Central Mosque.
3. The broadcast by the BBC was the first time the service had been shown on a UK terrestrial channel.
4. The BBC is also broadcasting a special show at 22:40 BST from Bradford.
5. Celebrity Eid will bring together food and fun with a host of well known guests.
6. You can catch it on BBC One or watch here when it is broadcast or afterwards.
7. Thank you for joining us for our coverage.
10. Eid is a time to treat yourself and your loved ones, from luxurious banquets to new clothes, and businesses in Bradford say the income at this time of year provides a big boost.
11. Atsham Ali, who works at clothes store Shaam G, in Bradford, says the week before the celebrations had led to an increase in sales of about 60%.
12. Image source, Arzu Dutta/BBC
13. He says: “This is one of the busiest periods in our business, especially the last few days before Eid because we’ll be open till about 02:00 on the last two days.
14. “This year the farshi shalwar is a new trend, which used to be in fashion in the 1970s, but it’s come back and that’s been the most in-demand item for us this time.
15. “We’re getting customers from all over the UK, Birmingham, Glasgow and customers come to Bradford for Eid especially.”
16. Find out more about the economic impact of Eid on Bradford and businesses in the city.
19. Noor Nanji
20. Culture Reporter
21. Image source, Getty Images
22. Unlike Christmas, there aren’t many films specifically focused on Eid.
23. But some films feature Eid celebrations as part of the storyline.
24. In India, Bollywood films are often lined up to be released around festival times – and Eid is a major national festival.
25. So in that sense, many films can be considered Eid films.
26. This year, for example, Salman Khan’s Sikandar is being released at Eid – the action-packed film is highly anticipated by fans.
29. Image source, Getty Images
30. Talking of food, after a month of fasting Eid is a chance to celebrate the end of that period of sacrifice and devotion.
31. And what better way to have fun than by cooking up some delicious dishes?
32. From Spinach borek pastries with tomato and pomegranate salad and Lamb raan to sweet treats like sheer khurma and coconut rose ladoos the BBC Food pages are bursting with recipes for you to try at home.
35. Richard Edwards
36. BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire
37. Image source, Rich Edwards/BBC
38. Image caption,
39. Tayyeba Zeb says Eid is particularly exciting for her family this year
40. Tayyeba Zeb, from Garforth in West Yorkshire, says Eid is particularly exciting for her this year as she has a newborn baby boy.
41. “We’re a crazy house in the morning, you have all the kids running around and getting really excited,” she says.
42. “They have Eid sacks, where they get presents, so they will open all of those and as a family we’ll eat a lavish breakfast together.
43. “It’s just a day full of lots of fun and food – a bit like Christmas I guess!”
46. Chloe Aslett
47. BBC News, Yorkshire
48. Image source, Getty Images
49. In Sheffield, university students Dana and Riham said they had enjoyed Ramadan and having a chance to focus on their faith.
50. Dana says: “It’s a peaceful month, we look forward to it. We try and create some new habits that we can maintain after. If you do something for 30 days, you can continue it.
51. “Reflecting and being more grateful – we’re not eating so when we do have that meal, we feel more grateful for it. We also like to do more charity – it’s not just giving money, it can be like smiling to someone on the road, things like that.
52. “It’s becoming a better version [of yourself]. I look forward to changing and improving myself, it’s a really nice time honestly.”
53. Riham says Ramadan comes at “the exact perfect time”.
54. “Sometimes you just need that month where your focus is worshipping, doing better as a Muslim, charity, and if you’re abstaining from food, you become more aware of everything around you.
55. “[At Eid] sometimes you get money from your family, you might wear new clothes, but it’s a bittersweet day as well, because Ramadan is gone.”
58. For the past month the BBC’s Not Even Water podcast has been providing a guide to Ramadan for anyone with questions about the month of fasting for Muslims.
59. In a special message to listeners host Fatiha El-Ghorri reflects on her own feelings at the end of Ramadan as she prepared to celebrate Eid.
62. Adam Laver
63. BBC News in Bradford
64. Image source, Adam Laver/BBC
65. Image caption,
66. Sakeb Zahoor, 55 and Huzaifah Sakeb, 20, are happy fasting is at an end
67. There’s a palpable sense of relief among worshippers that fasting is at an end.
68. Sakeb Zahoor, 55 and his son Huzaifah Sakeb, 20, say they enjoyed their feast after sunset last night.
69. Sakeb says with a smile that it is nice “just to be a bit more free to do what we want, while still being focused on our faith and our obedience on what we have to do in life”.
72. Richard Edwards
73. BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire
74. As Muslims celebrate Eid, Mohammed Osman, an imam in the North Yorkshire town of Selby, says the preceding period of Ramadan can an “opportunity” for people to socialise when communities gather for break their fast after sunset.
75. “You see people you’ve not seen for the whole year,” Mr Osman, 59, says.
76. “Some people are isolated, by their work or nature, and they don’t integrate with other people. So for them Ramadan is great, it is therapeutic I think.”
77. Image source, Rich Edwards/BBC
78. Image caption,
79. Mohammed Osman says Ramadan gives people the opportunity to socialise
82. Chef Asma Khan will be joining Jason Mohammed and a host well-known sports stars, comedians, actors and musicians as part of the BBC’s Celebrity Eid at 22:40 BST.
83. Ahead of the broadcast she has been sharing her favourite recipes, cooking tips and memories of Eid.
84. Image source, @solace_photos
85. “Many people have fulfilled targets over this month, like reading the Quran or fasting all 30 days,” says Khan. “Eid is a joyous celebration because you have achieved something.”
86. Food is a big part of the celebrations, although exactly what each family will eat depends on taste and heritage. Khan still remembers what she’d eat on Eid as a child in India.
87. “The breakfast really stands out for me, because the adults who’d been fasting hadn’t eaten breakfast for 30 days. This idea of having breakfast together was very exciting and, in my family, it was very lavish.
88. “My absolute greatest memory was this warm milky, vermicelli nut and date dish, called sheer khurma. We would have it in beautiful bone china cups, although I was considered clumsy, so was made to sit on a newspaper on the floor with it,” she explains, laughing.
89. “I’ve made it ever since I left home – every Eid – and I’m going to be making it for the event in Bradford as well.”
92. Worshippers are now hugging each other and exchanging warm wishes as the service concludes.
93. Our coverage of the ceremony has come to an end on BBC One, but you can watch it back here.
94. 
95. Image caption,
96. Eid prayers end at the mosque
99. Shaykh Ahsan tells worshippers about the importance of Ramadan leaving a lasting legacy on the lives of each individual Muslim.
100. “If after Ramadan, we return to our old habits without any improvement, then we have missed its true purpose,” he says.
101. “But if we carry these lessons forwards, if we emerge from this blessed month as better individuals, then we have truly succeeded.”
102. 
103. Image caption,
104. The imam urged worshippers to “carry the lesson of Ramadan forwards”
107. Zakat al Fitr, also known as Fitrana, is the practice of making a small donation to help feed the less fortunate before the end of Ramadan.
108. As part of the service, worshippers have heard about the importance of charity – not just money and material items but time, care and effort.
109. “Every small act of kindness contributes to a better world,” Shaykh Ahsan tells the congregation.
110. Many Muslims have been collecting and sending money to help those in Gaza who have been left in need due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
111. Image source, Getty Images
112. Image caption,
113. Fitrana is given to ensure the less fortunate can eat and enjoy Eid
116. A recitation has taken place and now a sermon, read aloud in English, takes place.
117. There will then be two cycles of prayer.
118. Worshippers will then show their dedication to God through bowing and prostration.
119. Shaykh Syed Ahsan welcomes worshippers in the mosque and those watching on TV and following online, wherever they are.
120. Image source, Arzu Dutta/BBC
121. Image caption,
124. Shaykh Burhaan Khandia, who is alongside Jason Mohammad at the mosque to help explain to non-Muslims what is happening, says that Eid is a “very, very special day”.
125. “We call this payday,” he says.
126. “It’s when God rewards us for all the hard work people have been doing on a spiritual level during the month of Ramadan.”
127. 
128. Image caption,
131. Image source, BBC West Midlands
132. Image caption,
133. Aqsa Nasar (right, pictured with Mashal Riaz) said there was a “beautiful feeling”
134. Millions of Muslims across the UK are celebrating Eid with family and friends.
135. In Birmingham, a city with one of the UK’s largest Muslim communities, crowds gathered outdoors in Small Heath Park.
136. After bad weather in 2023 and 2024, it was the first time in three years Eid celebrations could take place outdoors in the city.
137. One of those there, Aqsa Nasar, said: “When you see people coming together, it is such an unreal and beautiful feeling.
138. “I think everyone must visit it, because we celebrate Eid twice a year.”
139. Image source, BBC Northern Ireland
140. Image caption,
141. Members of Belfast’s Muslim community gathered at a city sports complex
142. In Belfast meanwhile, 2,000 people gathered at Newforge Sports Complex.
143. Dr Ahmad Saeed, who was among that number said: “It’s basically like Christmas for us, at the end of Ramadan, a very difficult a hard time for us.
144. “We’ve accomplished it, we’ve gone through it successfully, so we are today grateful for it, grateful to God.”
147. Adam Laver
148. BBC News in Bradford
149. Image source, Adam Laver/BBC
150. Image caption,
151. Shafiq Janjua has lived in Bradford for more than 30 years
152. Shafiq Janjua, who has come to Bradford Central Mosque today, says Eid “gives a message of unity”.
153. “It’s about your family and putting on calories!” he smiles.
154. Mr Janjua says the BBC’s broadcast today, which is a UK first, is a “good initiative”.
155. “There’s a large number of Muslims in Great Britain – this beautiful country.”
156. Mr Janjua, who has lived in Bradford for more than 30 years, adds: “It’s good to see the BBC here. I think it gives a good message.”
159. Image source, Jacob Tomlinson/BBC
160. As viewers tune in for the broadcast (select the play icon at the top of the page from 10:50 BST), Shaykh Syed Ahsan has outlined the order of service.
161. “We will begin with a recitation of the Quran, then we will have an English sermon.
162. “Then we will have the Eid prayer, which will be in Arabic, then will be the khutbah delivered in Arabic [and] then we will finish with the prayer and supplication.”
163. He said being asked to lead the televised service was a “great honour and huge responsibility”.
164. “I feel a deep sense of duty not only to convey the beauty of Eid but also the shared values of peace, love and harmony that Islam teaches us.”
167. Bradford’s Muslim community has been entering the city’s central mosque for Eid prayers all morning.
168. It can accommodate up to about 1,500 worshippers at any one time.
169. There have been several services so far, with more to come including the one being transmitted by the BBC.
170. Image source, Arzu Dutta/BBC
171. Image caption,
172. Eid prayers in Bradford begin on Monday – you can see the cameras and microphones primed to pick up a later service
173. Image source, Arzu Dutta/BBC
174. Image caption,
175. Shaykh Syed Ahsan leads the prayers at the mosque
178. Ahead of today’s live broadcast the BBC’s Humaira Bham took a guided tour of Bradford Central Mosque to find out more about the building and some of the key features.

Page 2

2. 
3. Shaykh Syed Ahsan, who will lead the prayers at today’s service, said the broadcast – the first of its kind in the UK – was an opportunity to convey Islam’s message of “peace, mercy and gratitude”.
4. “Our mosque is not just a place of worship, it is a landmark in the city, it reflects who we are as British Muslims,” he said.
5. “It is an opportunity for us to highlight how Bradford Central Mosque is integral to Bradford and how it shares its history and its rich architectural heritage as well.
6. “In addition to that its an opportunity for us to show the message of Islam, which is of peace and mercy and gratitude, to the world.”
9. Image source, Getty Images
10. Image caption,
11. Islam follows the lunar calendar
12. You might have seen people celebrating Eid at different times across the world over the last couple of days.
13. There are different interpretations of when Eid should be celebrated.
14. In some countries, it is declared at government level when a new moon becomes visible in that nation. For other countries though that can be problematic if the moon is hidden behind clouds.
15. Some parts of the globe pre-set the date based on lunar predictions, while some scholars suggest Eid should fall on the same day worldwide.
18. 
19. Coverage of today’s prayers will be presented by Match of the Day and BBC radio presenter Jason Mohammad.
20. Describing it as “a bit of change from the day job” he said the broadcast was a “momentous moment” and a “deep honour and a privilege” to be a part of it.
21. “If you had told the little boy sat in the mosque in Cardiff listening to the Imam and the khutbah that I would be one day broadcasting an Eid service on live TV I would never have believed you,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
22. “The reaction I’ve had [to the broadcast] is amazing. So many other people who follow other faiths have said what a turning point this could be in terms of inter-faith relations.
23. “The fact you will be able to see an Eid service from the magnificent mosque in Bradford is a momentous moment for our country, perhaps when we need it most.”
26. Observed worldwide, millions of Muslims have gathered to mark Eid with prayers at places of worship all over the planet.
27. You can see more here.
28. Image source, Reuters
29. Image caption,
30. Even downpours in Baghdad didn’t dissuade crowds from flocking to Eid prayers
31. Image source, Reuters
32. Image caption,
33. The festival has also been marked in Cape Town in South Africa
34. Image source, Shutterstock
35. Image caption,
36. Worshippers in Sydney, Australia, gathered to mark the festival with prayers
39. Image source, Getty Images
40. Eid al-Fitr is the “festival of breaking the fast”.
41. It takes place the day after the new moon is seen at the end of the month of Ramadan, and marks the start of Shawwal – the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
42. Along with Eid al-Adha, it is one of the two main festivals in Islam.
43. Many Muslims attend prayers at their mosque on the morning of Eid al-Fitr.
44. By this time, they are expected to have made their end-of-Ramadan donation to charity – known as zakat-ul-fitr or fitrana – to help feed the poor.
45. Eid al-Fitr is usually a period of great celebration, with families and friends coming together and sharing large meals.
46. It is also common for children to receive either money or small gifts from their elders.
49. Image source, Getty Images
50. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
51. The date changes each year because Islam uses the lunar calendar (based on the cycles of the Moon), so it isn’t a fixed date in the Gregorian or solar calendar.
52. Ramadan is considered important because it is to mark when the Quran, the Muslim holy book, was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad.
53. Many Muslims will try and read as much of the Quran as possible during Ramadan.
54. Ramadan is also a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing good deeds, and spending time with family and friends.
55. Normally, people will make a special effort to connect with their communities and reach out to people who need help.
58. Humaira Bham
59. BBC New Voices
60. Eid Mubarak, assalamu alaikum and welcome.
61. Muslims across the world are celebrating Eid Al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan.
62. As part of the celebrations the BBC will be broadcasting Eid prayers live from Bradford Central Mosque, the first time this service of worship has been televised on a UK terrestrial channel.
63. Join us as we build up to the broadcast and take a look at how people will be marking the day and their experiences of Ramadan.