Muslims in Egypt, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan enjoy Eid despite economic hardships

Eid al-Fitr is one of the centerpieces of the Muslim calendar, often featuring extended family gatherings where parents often buy gifts and new clothes for their children.

The buzzing streets of Cairo were even more lively Monday as Egyptian Muslims celebrated the end of the holy month of Ramadan. President Al Sissi attended Eid al-Fitr prayers at the El-Mosheer Tantawy mosque. Worshippers like Abdul Rahman al-Taweel were even more joyful because the Ministry of endowment recently allowed large and university mosques to welcome crowds again: "What's most importantduring Eid is the Eid prayer as it is the most prominent Eid celebration. So when the prayers are performed in a big and old mosque, especially in old Cairo, the more the person feels the festivities of Eid, rather than praying in a small mosque in our neighborhood."

Nairobi residents gathered in the Rahma Mosque in Kenya. Despite inflation exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, imam Abdulghani Bashir urged the faithful to continue to take care of the poor during the festive season: "We are grateful to Allah on this day of Eid, is a day of happiness, is a day of showing gratefulness to Allah, (Arabic) subhana uu waatala (may He be praised and exalted). It's also a day of remembering the poor and the less fortunate, and that's why as Muslims we are required to give (Arabic) zakat al-Fitr (almsgiving of Eid al-Fitr) before we come to the Eid prayers. It's important that Muslims give (Arabic) zakat al-Fitr, which is in the form of foodstuff to all those Muslims who are in need and also to go beyond just giving foodstuff, to give whatever it is possible to give so that those Muslims who are less fortunate can also share this joy and happiness on this beautiful day of Eid. I say to all of you (Arabic) Eid Mubarak (blessed festival)."

Muslims in Somalia marked the feast day with new clothes and celebratory gatherings. Young and old alike observed communal prayer like here, at the Et-Tedamun al-Islami Mosque, in the capital Mogadishu.

On this public holiday, large crowds gathered at a square of the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Muslims follow a lunar calendar, and methodologies can lead to different countries declaring the start of Eid on different days.