Eid ul Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. For the last 40 years, we have used astronomical calculations to determine the beginning and the end of Ramadan. In our Forward Planner 2016, issued in January, we announced that Eid will take place on Wednesday, 6 July 2016.

We invite everyone to join us on this joyous day and pray for world peace and for guidance to leaders that they follow policies for the betterment of humanity. Policies which eliminate hunger, disease and illiteracy.

We urge our Muslim brothers and sisters to reject the message of the extremists and terrorists. They have dragged the world into intolerance and hatred and are a blot on the name of Islam. In the Holy Quran, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) is called a mercy for the worlds and, as such, he could not have taught the killing and blood shed of innocent people that the terrorists engage in.

May Allah grant us the steadfastness to keep firm on the lessons we learnt during Ramadan. Lessons of compassion, kindness, and humility. After all, Islam stands for ‘I Shall Love All Mankind’.