This year, Eid al-Fitr took place on April 10 and New York City public school students had the day off. The Classic spoke to students who celebrate the holiday at Townsend Harris High School about their Eid al-Fitr traditions and what the holiday means to them.
Junior Aima Hossen said, “Eid al-Fitr is a holiday that allows me to reconnect with people after a long time. It’s associated with my entire past; even though I make new friends every year and stop interacting with old ones, Eid becomes a way to break the boundaries that form. I can experience all the food that comes once a year, all the relatives that travel long distances just to celebrate, and [reconnect] with cousins that I stopped chatting with.”
Eid al-Fitr translates to “the festival of break the fast,” commemorates the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Eid al-Fitr celebrations last for about one to three days.
On the first day of Eid, there is a large early morning prayer service, which is prayed in congregation at a mosque. After the Eid prayer, many celebrate by dressing up, gathering with friends and family, and making cultural dishes. But everyone’s Eid al-Fitr traditions vary.
Freshman Amelia Zara said, “Eid is an important holiday where I can bond with friends and family to celebrate the hard work we’ve done for Ramadan. This year, I made a tres leche cake with my family and invited friends and relatives to my place to enjoy these foods. I also visited my two aunts who live nearby and we were able to catch up on our lives. ”
Many Harrisites have created plans and even new traditions for their Eid al-Fitr celebration as the spring season blooms and brings good weather to New York.
Senior Hasan Raza said, “This year, I commemorated Eid by, first, visiting my local masjid to perform prayers particular to the holiday and then, throughout the day, ate a lot of food. Ramadan itself allows much time for self-reflection [and] is especially important to me because it reminds me of all I have to be grateful for.”
Junior Aisha Noureen said,“My usual Eid tradition is visiting my family member’s houses to eat cultural foods and dishes, while enjoying each other’s company. This year, my family decided to stay at home so that friends and relatives can eat our food. My mom is cooking and I’m baking the desserts this time, which is a new change, but a very [promising] one.”
Junior Fatima Hameed also plans to follow a new tradition, admiring the cherry blossoms for Eid. She said, “My father went to the Mosque, prayed, and then brought home breakfast; then my family and I broke our final fast together at breakfast.”
She said, “This Eid I was able to have a picnic in Central Park where we saw the cherry blossoms. I got this idea from another picnic I attended for Iftar last year with my cousin, and now I was able to do the same with my friends. It was very fun, and hopefully, I can do it again.”
“Eid is not just a religious occasion, but a time to strengthen bonds, creating lasting memories,” said sophomore Madiha Siddique.
