EID MUBARAK! | FEATURE
May 13 2021. A date much like any other, but this year it holds an importance for two reasons. I receive my first dose of the vaccine – oh, and it’s Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. As an outsider, in a cultural and religious respect, Eid to me represents the importance of change. The last year has of course brought about an avalanche of change, primarily COVID-driven: the sense of relief we have collectively breathed as our social media pinged with outpourings of joy about family, or even complete strangers, being safe.
We are the lucky ones. At the time of writing India is in an absolute uproar, ravaged by this deadly disease. The second lockdown is striking a rift in the collective consciousness as we send over our prayers while the nation needs our immediate help. This outcry for the most basic of medical needs to be globally distributed for the use of our fellow human.
Eid al-Fitr is a three-day celebration that signifies the end of the month long fast and abstinence – much as Christians would do during Lent to show dedication to God, this is done for Allah. Thurs 13 May is also the first day of Shawwal – the month where those of Muslim faith commemorate when the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Holy Quran. Similarly to the rituals of Christianity, Eid serves to highlight the reflection about our connection to religious affinity, as well as our relationship to a higher power.
Dawn prayers, or Fajr, are typically observed before the (spiritual) cleansing or ghusl, a physical and reflective ablution. Families can then journey to their local mosque as a collective to be welcomed by its imam with the traditional “Eid Mubarak” greeting – or how I would greet one of my closest Muslim friends with “merry Eid!” Eid Mubarak translates to blessed feast or blessed festival: a way to take stock of the things we are grateful for, and a pretext for families to distribute alms and substance to the neediest members of the communities (it being one of the five pillars of Islam to look after your fellow man).
Oftentimes, foods such as barley, dates and rice are given instead of money, as a means of observing an honoured tradition to show humility and kindness. Families may also decorate their homes and outside spaces with lights, candles, coloured banners or bunting.
As I mentioned in my previous piece regarding Ramadan, I am an unhappy atheist – as I felt that in questioning a different faith, I found a higher understanding of my own logical and inquisitive brain. I was always curious to understand the differences and found it humorous that the comparisons were titled due to the foodstuffs that would be consumed and that would be used to host their families as they celebrate. Whilst British tradition tends to dish up a feast of turkey, roasties and the like (or meat/dairy/gluten-free substitutes), I’m glad that we in Wales look to host such a multicultural understanding of holy festivals in a time when so many families feel miles apart.
Alternatively, Eid al Adha – celebrated on Tue 20 July this year – honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of attrition and of obedience. This is known as the savoury feast that signifies the sacrifice of a lamb in place of Ibrahim’s son, as the obedience was displayed eagerly and he was rewarded.
words BILLIE INGRAM SOFOKLEOUS photos CHAOYUE PAN