Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, end of Ramadan worldwide

Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, a three day holiday that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The worldwide celebrations are especially poignant in places such as Libya and Egypt where the people are enjoying ew-found freedom after decades of oppression.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Faithful Muslims started their holiday on Tuesday by crowding into Mosques and offering prayers. However, religious leaders in Saudi Arabia claimed the new moon, which marks the end of Ramadan, was actually visible on Monday and started their celebrations a day earlier than the rest of the world. 

Contrarily, Islamic leaders in Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic state, sighted the new moon on Wednesday, and announced the end of the holiday at that time--more than a full day's difference than Saudi Arabia. 

The three-day holiday, Eid al-Fitr is a celebration of the end of a period of purification, in some ways similar to 40 day holy period of Lent observed by Catholics and many Christians. For Muslims, Ramadan is a month of prayer and fasting. The fasting is strict for many Muslims, who are not even permitted to drink water during daylight hours.

For revelers in Libya, the holiday is an occasion of yet greater joy. Many are celebrating the ouster of dictator Moammar Gaddafi and their newfound freedom. Rebel fighters paused while on the move to attack Sirte, Gaddafi's last major loyalist stronghold in the country.

As the rebels paused, they celebrated and offered prayers. Such celebrations are also doubly for Muslims sweet in Tunisia and Egypt where successful revolutions have removed dictators from power. 

In Syria, embattled president Al Assad was photographed offering prayers in a mosque. The Syrian president has been asked to step down after controversial and bloody crackdowns in his country. Undoubtedly for Muslims there, this holiday is a little less joyous with Al-Assad clinging brutally to power. 

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