BOB ABERNETHY, host: Muslims around the world are observing Eid al-Fitr, the three-day festival marking the end of Ramadan. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims who were able fasted from sunrise to sunset. Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, of the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia, describes the transition between Ramadan and the Eid.

IMAM JOHARI ABDUL-MALIK (Director of Outreach, Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center): When we think about a month that is starving the body, but then you have to figure out how do you feed your soul? The process of withdrawing from the things that really drive you causes you in a sense to feel I have to rely on God for my energy.

Something that you really can’t prepare for is the feeling that you will miss Ramadan when it’s over. You will spend time reminiscing. Try to prepare yourself not to have remorse. Not to say, I let Ramadan slip through my fingers. I really could’ve prayed more. I could have done more charity. And so I encourage people, prepare yourself so that when the month ends you don’t have remorse. That you did what you could do and then be grateful.

Saturday and Sunday will be days of fun and play, especially for children. So we’ll have moon bounce, we’ll have rides. It’s just a day of fun it’s a day of joy and it’s summertime and so in the summertime we celebrate like that.

On the day of Eid al-Fitr, every family will donate to provide for a family of their size. It’s called Zakat al-Fitr. I have to duplicate my joy for that day and share it with others so that it really is a day that everyone in the community should have.

It’s going to be an opportunity to enjoy a light, but quick breakfast and then to come to the mosque to listen to a short sermon with 2 units of prayer and in that sermon it is going to be a reminder about the great success that we have made as humanity. We have all come out of it with a renewed spirit, a renewed conviction and so it is about celebration, it is about people congratulating one another that we survived the month of Ramadan.