New York

In an unprecedented event, hundreds of Muslims broke their fast and offered congregational Taraweeh prayers at New York City's Times Square on the first day of the holy month of Ramzan.

A part of the Holy Quran is recited each day during Taraweeh namaz during Ramzan until its completion.

On Saturday night, 1500 meals were provided to Muslims on the pavements of Times Square, the city's busiest artery, after which hundreds of them took part in the Taraweeh prayers.

Times Square is a major commercial area and tourist destination in midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is one of the "most visited tourist attractions" which draws around 50 million visitors a year, as per media reports.

"We actually are doing this so that we can become closer and more contentious of our creator, our lord, Allah," SQ, one of the organizers of the gathering said, according to CBS News.

"We're here to explain our religion to all those that don't know what Islam is all about," he said, adding that "Islam is a religion of peace."

A person attending the Taraweeh said that there are a lot of misconceptions about Islam.

"There are crazy people in all cultures, all religions, and those small groups of people do not represent the majority ... We're encouraged to pray, fast, do good deeds, give charity," the man said, according to CBS.

Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast between dawn and sunset, pray for peace and guidance, give back to the community in the form of charity or zakaat or engage in humanitarian activities such as feeding the underprivileged and introspect to enlighten their souls.

Fasting in Ramzan is one of the five pillars of Islam.