Muslims in Keighley and around the UK have celebrated the Eid. Eid means recurring happiness or festivity.

Coming with the new moon, the festival marks the end of Ramadan, a month when Muslims fast throughout the day and eat only at night. Prayers, feasts and family get-togethers are the major highlights of the celebrations.

Eid is one word. It's not an abbreviation. Many in society will be familiar with a council department's logo EID, which stood for Economic Initiative Division.

I was delighted to see my European friends and colleagues, and on my visit to Morrisons on Eid Day I was greeted by saying "Eid Mubarale". I also received greetings from the catholic community, in particular Holy Family Catholic School, and other local schools.

It is all positive community relations which we must build on. It's knowing one another better and understanding one's beliefs, celebrations and culture.

As an organisation we have attempted to break these barriers and create much better understanding of multi-mix communities living in the Bradford district.

We encourage and promote friendship to live in peace and create a harmonious society which integrates and joins one another in their happiness and their sorrows.

Muslims from all strata of life can be seen adorned in beautiful clothes, visiting the mosques to attend Salatul Eid (Eid prayers), greetings of "Eid Mubarale" or "a blessed Eid" are exchanged.

A very important aspect of Eid is the charit, which all the Muslims are expected to extend to the needy.

Earlier, this was in the form of gifts in kind, but now cash is given to the needy.

The first Eid of the year is known as Eid Al Fitr. Al Fitr literally means breaking off fast and giving charity.

Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar, to mark the end of a month long fast during the month of Ramadan.

As the third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam. fasting has many special benefits.

Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control.

Due to lack of pre-occupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to Allah (God).

Ram is also a time of concentrated worship, reading of the Quran, purifying one's behaviour, giving charity and doing virtuous deeds.

The secondary objective of fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing compassion for the less fortunate and learning to be thankful and appreciative for all of God's bounties.

We realise about people with disabilities and their needs. It teaches us to be good with others and care for others.

Fasting is also advantageous to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits such as smoking and other bad habits. Lots of people quit smoking for good, which is a direct benefit to health and wealth.

All these benefits are given in this holy month. Eid Al Fitr is a day of joy and thanksgiving.

Muslims show their joy for the health, strength and opportunities of life, which Allah (God) has given them to fulfil their obligations of fasting and other good during the month of Ramadan.

It is also a day of forgetting old grudges and ill feelings towards others.

Eid is a day of victory.

He/she who proves that they hold strong command over their desires, exercises sound self control and enjoys the taste of disciplinary life.

Once a person acquires these qualities he has achieved his greatest victory.