Muslims around the world and here in Saskatoon celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, marking the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
At Prairieland Park, thousands of people joined in communal prayers.
“Aside from fasting from food, it’s a very spiritual fasting too. It creates a very collective sense of empathy and compassion,” Syed Mueez Rafiquie with the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan told CTV News.
The celebrations bring joy but also highlight ongoing struggles faced by many. Throughout the day, communities pray for peace, prosperity, and an end to conflicts affecting millions worldwide.
After the prayers wrap up, families gather at home.
“A lot of us here are fortunate enough that at the end of the day, we can choose to have food again because we actually have food at home. But obviously, for millions of people around the world, that isn’t the case,” Rafiquie said.
Two morning prayer sessions were planned at Prairieland Park on Sunday, but because of the overwhelming attendance, organizers had to add a third prayer to accommodate everyone.
“It’s grown so much, in fact, that we now don’t even have just one prayer in the city. We actually have multiple places where we have these,” he said.
More than 10,000 Muslims were in attendance at the Eid al-Fitr prayer in Saskatoon at Prairieland alone.
