Muslims throughout the country are on Friday offering open aid prayers as they celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr, the end of their month-long fasting.

At Ashongman in Accra, Maulvi Abdul Wahab Bin Adam, Ameer (Head) and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, observed that the occurrence of this year's Eid-ul-Fitr and Christmas celebrations within the same month was not a mere co-incidence.

"To me it symbolizes the mutual respect and cooperation that should necessarily exist between the adherents of the two great world faiths, Islam and Christianity, for the cohesion, harmony, peace and development of our dear country," he said in a sermon.

He said the month-long fasting was not merely a period of abstention from food and drink but had the ultimate aim of inculcating in Muslims a high sense of discipline, which was essential for progress within the nation.

Maulvi Adam said the fasting also enabled Muslims to experience hunger and thirst, which was a common experience to the poor, and made them more pathetic towards the plight of the needy.

Touching on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, he cautioned Muslims to desist from discriminating against those infected with the disease.

He said HIV/AIDS patients rather need the love and support of the society, adding that service to God was incomplete if it is done without love and compassion for human beings. Maulvi Adam urged Muslims to use the occasion to promote peace and do away with violence.