As a network dedicated to ensuring our experiences are valued and appreciated, we reached out to several of our students to gain some insight about Eid al-Fitr (EID). This year, EID takes place on March 29 and 30. Below is what was shared and ways to support students during EID.
Osman Ashmaig, MTV HS - Eid is a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection for Muslims around the world. The history of Eid goes back to the times of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who celebrated Eid after the completion of Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is a celebration of spiritual growth, gratitude, and unity. It is a time to reflect on the personal sacrifices made during Ramadan, to strengthen our connection with God, and to give thanks for the blessings we have.
For my family, Eid begins with the early morning prayer at the mosque. Followed by a day of excitement, where we visit friends, have family dinners, and get together as a community. It is also a time to give back to those less fortunate through charity, which is a key part of the celebration. Supporting Eid within the community means understanding the deeper significance of fasting, prayer, and charity. Overall Eid is an exciting holiday for Muslims around the world as they can celebrate the completion of the month of Ramadan.
Reza Habibe, GVR HS - Eid for me is one my favorite time of the year with family, this is mainly due to it just feels like summer and I'm a kid again. I love the nostalgia of EID. Preparation of EID is always such a hassle whether that's because my mom is yelling at us to clean, sibling don't have any culture clothes that fit them anymore or even like last year I was stressing on how I'm going to make up a summative in one of my AP classes for missing school that day. But the morning of EID is the most chaotic, that is due to either the showers being taken up, some people slept in, mom is rushing packing up all the food to take to the Mosque. One that's done we all head to the mosque and hang out with our family and friends and share our laughter with one another. But overall it's the most wholesome time of the year for my family. We all get to bond, pass out gifts to each other, show how we are grateful for each other, and most importantly pray for each other. Its always felt like a holiday in my books.
Kamil Asbshir, GVR HS - Eid is undoubtedly the most important day of the year for my family and I. Preparation, for us, begins the night before with chaotic cleaning, endless phone calls to family around the world, and widespread excitement. Our parents make sure that everyone has brand new clothes for our special day. The day starts with the early morning prayer, which only is prayed on Eid, at around 6-7:00 am. Usually, it's followed by an hour or two of Whatsapp calls to family and friends with a casual “Eid Mubarak”. Towards the end of the day, we usually go out as a family and go bowling or to an amusement park to celebrate. It’s by far my favorite day of the year and holds significant religious and personal significance to me. Prior to the celebration, we celebrate Ramadan, a period of fasting and bettering ourselves to strengthen our relationship with god. Every morning, we get up around 5:00 am to have our early morning meal prior to the start of fasting at dawn. During the day, we are restricted from eating or drinking anything and we spend a lot of time praying and focusing on our relationship with god. When it is time to break fast at sunset, my family joins together for a family dinner every night, for 30 days straight.
Ways to support our students during EID (From Cedar):