Summary

  • Worshippers have taken part in Eid celebrations in Small Heath Park, Birmingham

  • Organisers estimate over 100,000 people turned out for this year's event

  • The prayer was carried out by Green Lane Masjid’s Imam, Sheikh Ahsan Hanif

  • Attractions included a fun fair, soft play and food stalls

  • Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and fasting

  1. Our live coverage of Birmingham's Eid celebrationspublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    That's all for our live coverage of Small Heath's Eid celebrations today, and despite the rain arriving, the festivities are due to continue until 18:00.

    Park

    Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating today and again to all those breaking fast on Wednesday.

  2. 'We would pray outdoors whatever the weather'published at 15:56 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Event organisers Abid Khan and Kamran Hussein have been working during the Eid celebrations.

    Abid Khan and Kamran Hussein

    Abid said he was able to pop in and see his family - who live next to the park - whilst he was marshalling cars, for a quick hello and a bite of biriyani.

    Kamran's family came down for a picnic so he's been able to spend a little time with them on a day very important to Muslim families.

    Mr Khan said he was pleased with the turnout which was "decent considering the weather", but said he would pray outside "irrespective".

    "We've prayed in snow, we're prayed in torrential rain - whatever the weather we try and get out here," he said.

  3. Stage packed away at Eid celebrationspublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    The stage is being packed away and prayer mats have been removed from Small Heath Park after today's Eid celebrations, which continue until 18:00.

    Park

    Rain is threatening to chase those left towards shelter, but poor weather hasn't been able to stop the fun yet.

    Park

    On one side people are still enjoying the fun fair, while a few families linger over picnic feasts.

    Most will be heading home to continue the celebrations with family and friends - and of course more food.

    Park

    The rest of Birmingham's Muslim community - those who follow the UK's lunar calendar rather than Saudi Arabia's - are continuing their full fast until sundown and their Eid celebrations will take place tomorrow.

  4. An 'amazing and emotional Eid celebration'published at 15:43 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Tamara Sulkiewicz from Sparkbrook said she's had an "amazing and emotional" day.

    "Praying in a row, we have all the nationalities there - you name it, everyone in a row and they're all praying together."

    Tamara Sulkiewicz

    She spoke about her choice to wear the niqab saying: "Before I started I thought it was backwards, but now I think it's liberating.

    "Islam is not a limitation, Islam is a liberation," she said.

  5. First Ramadan 'a real accomplishment'published at 15:37 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Sisters Rukeyah, 11, and six-year-old Aminah, have taken two days off school to celebrate Eid.

    They said the matching outfits were especially for the day.

    Rukeyah, 11, and six-year-old Aminah,
    Hands Rehman

    Hafsa Rehman is 13 and has just completed her first Ramadan, which she described as a "real accomplishment".

    "On reflection it was easier then I thought it would be," she said.

    With her dad, Hafsa, she had cooked the family meal today, serving up lots of Polish food and salads.

    Ahead of next year's fast she said she might have to "practise more" to make it less of a challenge.

  6. More Eid Mubarak messagespublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    As Eid celebrations continue around the globe, #eidmubarak is still trending with more than 200,000 tweets so far today, according to the BBC UGC Hub.

    Politicians, football clubs and emergency services at the Small Heath Park site have all tweeted their greetings.

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  7. What is Eid?published at 15:19 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Prayers held across the world to mark the end of Ramadan.

    Read More
  8. Officer helps with 'unusual suspect' at Eid celebrationspublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Vanessa Pearce
    BBC News

    An off-duty police officer has had to deal with an "unusual suspect" at Birmingham's Eid celebrations.

    PC Naiyer KhanImage source, West Midlands Police

    PC Naiyer Khan from the Moseley and Kings Heath Police team was pictured on Twitter , externalassisting a neighbourhood police officer at the site.

    It looks like a bit of a slippery character to me.

  9. 'Community comes together for Eid celebrations'published at 14:58 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    It was a rainy start to the day and the rows laid out for the thousands of worshippers expected at Small Heath didn’t look likely to be filled at one point.

    Media caption,

    Birmingham's Eid celebrations

    But as the rain eased, the crowds gathered for a morning prayer with organisers estimating that, despite the weather, numbers exceeded 100,000 people.

    PrayersImage source, PA

    Muslims from across Birmingham and further afield are now celebrating Eid in a day of family fun.

    Worshippers gathered again at 13:45 to pray once more, and in the meantime Small Heath is alive with the sound of children playing and the whirring engines of the fun fair as the community comes together to celebrate one of the most important dates in the Islamic calendar.

    Eid celebrations
  10. Showers forecast for this afternoonpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    There's been grey cloud all morning and we're forecast some light showers at Small Heath Park this afternoon.

    The temperatures should remain good though - up to around 15C (59F).

    Prayers
  11. Giant cricketers make appearance at Eid celebrationspublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    There's a bit of cricket going on at the Eid celebrations in Birmingham today and these two giant batsmen have been attracting a lot of attention.

    They've come from Birmingham Hippodrome, who have also sent some "talking birds" to entertain the crowds.

    Giant crickerters
    Giant cricketers

    And at the Cricket World Cup, South African cricketers Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir both attended Eid prayers at a Southampton mosque this morning, ahead of their game against India.

    The Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar was also there and they stopped to have photos taken with their fellow worshippers.

    Hashim Amla and Imran TahirImage source, Getty Images
  12. Eid celebrations: Listen to BBC WM's live coveragepublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    BBC WM

    If you're after some more live coverage of Birmingham's Eid event in Small Heath Park, you can catch BBC WM's presenters Sunny and Shay who will be broadcasting from the event from 14:00.

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  13. Eid a 'tremendous occasion', says city councillorpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    The Birmingham councillor responsible for social cohesion in the city has called the festivities at Small Heath to mark Eid a "tremendous occassion".

    In a video message tweeted by the city council, external, Councillor John Cotton said: "Birmingham's a great and diverse city where people of all faiths and none live together, work together, share together and this is something we seek to celebrate in all of our communities."

    Councillor John CottonImage source, Birmingham City Council
  14. Full day of Eid festivities plannedpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    The Eid festivities at Small Heath Park continue all day, with a break at 13:45 for prayers.

    As well as the food stalls and fun fair there is a soft play for children and laser clay pigeon shooting.

    Eid

    The event is due to continue until 18:00.

  15. 'Family, happiness and joy' for sisters at Eid celebrationpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Mona Hersi, pictured here in the middle with sisters Sahra and Sundus, said during Ramadan you have a lot of time to think about other people and be grateful for what you have.

    Eid celebrations

    "You see how it feels to not have anything," she said. "Ramadan cleanses your sins, it's a clean slate."

    Sahra said Ramadan is hard but "gets easier as you get used to it".

    "We live near a shop so it can be hard to restrain yourself," she said, but "as a student I'm used to not eating much".

    This year was easier than last, she added, because 2018 was "so hot".

    Asked if they had to pick one word to describe Eid, Sahra chose "family", Sundus said "happiness" and Mona chose "joy".

  16. Prime Minister sends "best wishes" to those celebrating Eidpublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Prime Minister Theresa May has wished Muslims "at home and around the world" a "happy and peaceful celebration" in her message on Eid al-Fitr.

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  17. 'After fasting Eid is like a renewal'published at 12:29 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Radhiya Sonde is selling clothes at today's Eid celebrations in Small Heath.

    "It's a special day," she said.

    Radiya Sonde

    "After fasting for Ramadan and the detox - not just with food, but mentally too - it's like a renewal."

    "On Eid you dress nice, you look good and you go and socialise," she added.

    She comes to the Small Heath prayers every year and said "the atmosphere is nice - you get to meet a lot of people".

  18. Over 100,000 in park for Eid celebrationspublished at 12:10 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Audrey Dias
    Journalist, BBC Midlands Today

    More than 100,000 Muslims have taken park in Eid celebrations at Birmingham's Small Heath Park today, the organisers said.

    Crowds

    The celebration is "one of the most important in the Islamic religious calendar and it’s an opportunity for us to come together in peace and unity", said a spokesperson for Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre.

    “We’ve been working for months with five local Mosques and our charity partner Islamic Relief to organise bringing the community together for a memorable day of prayer, games and fun," it added.

    Small HeathImage source, PA

    Over 200 people have volunteered to help clean the park after the celebrations, it said.

    Media caption,

    Worshippers gather for Eid celebrations in Birmingham

  19. In pictures: Eid celebrations across the globepublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Vanessa Pearce
    BBC News

    While we have been concentrating on events in Birmingham, Eid celebrations have been taking place across the globe.

    GirlImage source, AFP

    This Muslim girl is waiting for her father to put on his shoes after attending Eid prayers at the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi, Kenya.

    EidImage source, AFP

    These women taking pictures with their mobile phones have also been worshipping at the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi.

    AlbanianImage source, AFP

    Albanian Muslims pray at Skenderbej square in Tirana.

    LiyaImage source, AFP

    Libyan Muslim worshippers gather at the Martyrs Square of the capital Tripoli.

  20. Celebrating Eid with 'food, family and friends'published at 11:14 British Summer Time 4 June 2019

    Riyah Collins
    BBC News

    Yasmin Sabb is at Small Heath Park with her family.

    Originally from Iraq, she has lived in Birmingham for about 15 years.

    Yasmin Saab

    The "amazing" event is a "big opportunity for this community", she said.

    With some of her family still in Iraq, and sisters living in Sweden and America, she said some of her family have already celebrated Eid while others aren't up yet.

    The family is planning on having lots of food with family and friends today, and looking forward to calling relatives around the world later.