Central Arkansas Muslims on Friday celebrated the end of Ramadan with feasting, prayers of thanksgiving and a public proclamation of their faith.

At Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium, a multitude of believers gathered on the football field, with men congregating to the north and women to the south.”Allahu akbar” (“God is the greatest”) they said repeatedly, adding in Arabic, “There is none worthy of worship but Allah” and “to him belongs all praise.”

It’s an ancient statement of faith. In Arabic, the Takbir, as it is known, literally means “to make great, to magnify or to declare greatness.”

Thanks to the loudspeakers, the words spilled out into the parking lot and beyond, audible to all those stuck in traffic nearby.

“It’s not a formal prayer. It’s more of a declaration,” said Mohammed Nawaz, imam and executive director of the Madina Institute.

Later, the multitudes bowed toward Mecca and prayed.

Some were dressed all in white. Others wore attire that reflected their family roots or nation of origin.

Through it all, children on the periphery reveled in seven or so bounce houses, shrieking with joy and delight. Once they finished, there’d be sweets to enjoy — many had received bags of candy as they entered the coliseum.

Many Muslims took the day off work so that they could savor Eid al-Fitr — sometimes translated as “The Festival of Breaking the Fast.”

The period of sacrifice and self-denial had ended; among other things, daytime dining could resume.

“We don’t have to fast and we just enjoy. ” said Ibrahim Ibrahim, an American of Palestinian descent. “We can eat freely, take the kids out.”

Eid is always special, he said, and referred to it as “our main holiday.”

“We’re joining billions of Muslims around the world that are also celebrating today,” his wife, Ayah added.

Typically Eid al-Fitr prayers have been held in area mosques rather than an enormous public venue. At this point, however, the group is too large to fit into any of those places of worship.

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