Naqvi, Shahnawaz offer prayers, extend greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr

Vice President Hamid Ansari and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain today offered prayers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and extended their greetings to the people.

Shahnawaz Hussain, said, "This is a day of celebration, people should celebrate and live in peace. I hope this Eid brings happiness to everyone, it is a day for everyone to come together."

Vice president Hamid Ansari also said that everyone should celebrate after the long days of Ramzan.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "On this happy day of Eid I wish that there will be peace in our country. I wish that people who were killed in violence, hope they will rest in peace. Women and children will be saved in ceasefire. I pray for peace and unity in our nation and everywhere in world where people faced violence during Eid."

The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated across the country today, with prayers being offered at various historical mosques like the Jama Masjid in the national capital.

Eid-ul-fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramdan. Ramadan is the ninth of 12 months in the Islamic calendar. The month honours the Angel Gabriel's revelation of the Koran, the holy scripture of Islam, to the Prophet Mohammed at a meditation retreat in a cave about 1,400 years ago.

Fasting, charity, daily prayers, the declaration of faith and pilgrimage to Mecca are the five pillars of Islam.

During Ramadan, Muslims offer special prayers called Taraweeh at the end of their usual five- times prayers.

Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days and culminates in the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, tens of millions across the Muslim world make every effort to be more spiritual.

Muslims abstain from food, drink and other pleasures from sunrise to sunset.