More than 5000 Muslims in Saskatoon are gathered for prayer and celebration to mark the end of Ramadan.

"Every year for this month, which is based on a lunar calendar, you go without food or water from dawn until sunset," said Aqeel Wahab with the Muslim Communications and Outreach Committee.

A big part of Ramadan is to try and suppress your physical urges and desires to allow spiritual and mental will power come through, Wahab explained.

Over the past 30 days, Muslims in the city have focused a lot of energy towards a major community drive for the Saskatoon Food Bank. Also, over $40,000 was raised for relief efforts in Syria and Burma.

The vibrant Muslim community in Saskatoon has grown dramatically over the years. Twenty years ago, only a handful of worshipers participated in Ramadan. Today, more than 5,000 Muslims are participating.

In larger centers, like Toronto, neighbourhoods of ethnic minorities tend to stay to themselves, Wahab said.

But that is not the case in Saskatoon.

Muslims from over a hundred countries worship together at the city's only mosque.

"In bigger cities you won't see that kind of diversity," he said.

"We're pretty unique and we want to keep it that way."

Edited by CJME's Lisa Schick.