Ramadan celebrations have started across the UK this week, with Muslims starting their first day of fasting on Thursday.
The religious festival marks the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar and is a time of worship, fasting, prayer, charity, community spirit and spiritual development.
Throughout the month, practising Muslims will be refraining from eating and drinking anything from dawn until sunset.
They will have a pre-fasting breakfast before sunrise (Suhoor) and a post-fasting dinner after sunset (Iftar).
The sacred month is especially important as it is one of the five pillars of Islam and allows Muslims to grow spiritually and build a stronger relationship with Allah (God).
Muslims are also encouraged to carry out as many good deeds as they can throughout this holy month, such as giving to charity or as simple as finishing a chapter of the Quran every day, as it is believed that they would be rewarded for their efforts many times over.
The holy month will then end with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr or the ‘Festival of Breaking the Fast’, which is due to take place on April 22.
According to the 2021 Census there are 1,318,755 Muslims living in London, making up 15% of the population.
We’ve taken a look at how Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr has been celebrated in London over the years.
1. Eid al-Fitr 1956
May 12 1956: Worshippers at the London Mosque kneel in obeisance minus their shoes during the festival Eid al-Fitr. | Getty Images
2. Muslims pray in Regents Park in 1980
12 August 1980: Muslims celebrating the festival of Ramadan at London’s Regents Park mosque. (Photo by John Minihan/Evening Standard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
3. Young worshipper at Baitful Futuh Mosque in Morden in 2003
A young worshipper listens to the Eid Al-Fitr prayer of the leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Community Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the Baitful Futuh Mosque in London 26 November 2003. | AFP via Getty Images
4. A group of young Muslims after Friday prayers. October 2004.
Muslims leave the East London Mosque after prayer on the second Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan October 22, 2004 in London. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images) | Getty Images