Two OM students tell us how they spend the special day

Eid al-Fitr, more widely known as just Eid, is an internationally celebrated holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan brings forth a month of fasting, praying, and spiritual reflection for Muslims all around the world. This year, Ramadan begins on Sunday, March 10th, and ends on Tuesday, April 9th, when Eid commences. Millions start the day with early prayers that are then followed by a big meal and celebration among friends and family. But these celebrations can differ from country to country and culture to culture, so let’s see how two students at OM spend this wondrous day!

First up is Amirah Kazi, a sophomore here, who said Eid is: “A celebration Muslims have after Ramadan. To me, it means family, friends, and spirituality.” She went on to explain how her family celebrates the day, “We first go to Masjid and pray; I wear traditional clothing too. Later we spend time with family and friends and eat lots of delicious foods!” I asked her if she had any favorite activities or traditions she partakes in during Eid. “We go to Six Flags every year,” She said. “But last year we went to Hershey and that was fun too.” To Amirah, it seems like Eid is about those she cares about as well as a reflection of her spirituality!

Ishmal Choudhary, another OM sophomore, said Eid to her is, “A fun day that you celebrate at the end of Ramadan and get to eat whatever you want after a month. You get to dress up and take lots of pictures and meet family,” she continued. “It’s a surreal day where you kind of just get to dress up, have fun, and forget about problems.” For Ishmal, Eid is also full of traditions and a little chaos, “A week before Eid, our family and friends make desserts or meals. Then, the night before, everyone gets their henna done and figures out their outfits; it’s a lot of fun. We all wake up between four and five AM to get ready and go to the Mosque for prayer. It’s all very chaotic,” she laughed. “We later go to greet everyone and the kids get money from the adults. We eat lots of amazing foods and take lots of pictures.” She also mentioned two of her favorite memories she has of Eid: one from this year and another from many years ago. “Last year, I really liked my outfit, and I helped make a kid wonderland at the Mosque. When I was younger, I got a thousand dollars after getting money from adults.” Ishmal also highlighted how fun it is to take photos with friends and families while dressed up. It makes for quite an amazing photobook years later.

Both Ishmal and Amirah spoke about outfits, prayers, friends, family, photos, food, and their traditions on the day. These experiences give insight into how culture and family may impact how you celebrate a holiday unique to your religion. Though not everyone celebrates Eid, it would be cool if everyone spent time learning a little about it and maybe even tried something new! If you have a Muslim friend, ask them how you could celebrate with them! Happy Eid to all! عيد مبارك (Have a blessed Eid)