Thousands of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community gathered at Mubarak Mosque in Tilford on Friday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Eid al-Fitr is one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar, bringing to a close a month of fasting, prayer and reflection during Ramadan.

At the mosque, prayers were led by His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who delivered a sermon reflecting on the spiritual lessons of Ramadan and the importance of peace, compassion and service to others.

Food is served after prayers at the Eid Al-Fitr celebrations at Islamabad in Tilford.
Food is served after prayers at the Eid Al-Fitr celebrations at Islamabad in Tilford. (Hugo Berger/Tindle)

After prayers, His Holiness walked around the grounds, greeting members of the community. Children and families gathered to wave, with many delighted to catch a glimpse of him as he passed.

Celebrations continued throughout the day, with families sharing food and spending time together. Organisers estimate that more than 5,000 worshippers attended the event, with some travelling to Surrey from overseas.

Imam Adeel Shah, who is also an East Hampshire district councillor, described Eid as “a time of happiness, community and friendship, getting together to mark this festive period”.

He added: “During Eid, you’ll see people greeting each other and wishing peace on one another. But it’s also about looking after Muslims around the world who might not have as much as we do in the Western world, and making sure they have enough sustenance and clothes to take part in these celebrations.”

He said His Holiness had urged worshippers to pray for “world peace and social cohesion, to make a better world to bring our children up in”.

“We have had certain sentiments expressed here in the UK, but Islam means peace. Everything we do is about social cohesion and looking after our neighbours, irrespective of whether they are Muslim or not,” he said.

“And Eid is a celebration. Wherever we have mosques, we invite people to come and learn about us, and we also learn from their experiences. It’s about building bridges and having those cohesive discussions.”