This past Monday marked the celebration of Eid for Muslims worldwide. In the United States, Muslims gathered in their local Mosques and attended an Eid prayer at varying times. Eid marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a month of fasting and prayer. On that Monday morning, families woke up early, dressed in their best clothes, and headed to the Mosque for Eid prayer. Clothes typically included elegant abayas, embroidered kurtas, and thobes from different cultures. The atmosphere was full of peace and community spirit. There are two Eids celebrated every year for three to four days, although many calendars focus on only the first day. Eid al-Fitr, which occurred on Monday which translates to “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” which shows the celebration after a spiritual increase during Ramadan.
After prayers, people greeted each other with “Eid Mubarak,” which means “Blessed Eid”, and spent time with their loved ones. Junior Tommy Hartnett noticed it was Eid and, on Tuesday, said, “Eid Mubarak! I hope you enjoyed it.” It truly was an amazing time. Homes were filled with delicious traditional foods like Kebabs and sweets like Baklava and sheer Khurma. Children received gifts or money, known as Eidi, from older relatives, and many families took part in giving back to the community and charities to help those in need. This is called Zakat al-Fitr, which is required before prayer as it is a big part of Eid and Islam. This act of kindness reminds everyone of the value of compassion and community
Food plays a big part in the celebration. Tables were filled with different kinds of foods. Families took the time to enjoy these meals together and show appreciation for the blessings they had. Sophomore Taylor Ferrante says, “I really like baklava and didn’t know that it was a big part of Eid.”
Since this year’s Eid fell on a Monday, many people, including me, took time off work or school to celebrate fully. It was a beautiful day to reflect and see the unity that reminded everyone of the power of faith and the importance of togetherness.
