By Abdulahi Farah, Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH lead organizer

As a community we have fasted, we have stood in prayer, and now we will celebrate.

These last few moments of Ramadan are a blessing, and it is important to increase in our prayers and charity. Today, Eid is at our door. As one of the two major holidays of Islam, Eid has a right upon us. We must welcome it and appreciate it as it deserves. We should beautify our homes, making sure they are clean and decorated places of fun for our children and families – hosting a loving environment.

This year we will celebrate Eid from home due to the coronavirus. We are doing this to keep our community safe and to care for our neighbors. This does not mean that the spirit of Eid is gone. We will bring the joy of Eid to our homes and share it virtually.

Events Happening This Eid:

Friday May 22 : The U Adeeg (to serve) Initiative served over 1000 meals daily during Ramadan. In the celebratory spirit of Eid they sponsored a plane with banner to fly over several Muslim communities in the metro with the words “Eid Mubarak UAdeeg Stay Home” meaning “Blessed Eid To Serve Stay Home.” 

This Weekend, Saturday May 23rd and Sunday May 24 at 7pm –  The Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota will host a Facebook live session presenting ideas of what to do at home to celebrate this Eid including background on how to celebrate it with your family and what will happen on Eid day.

All weekend U Adeeg Initiative will have a goody-bag drive-through and pick up for kids. These drive throughs will be happening at mosques all over the state. Reach out to U Adeeg to find a location near you.

Families will are encouraged to share their Eid pictures on social media, using the hashtag #EidAtHomeMN. Here is a handy #EidAtHomeMN Social Media Guide for ideas and a meme you can share!

For Muslims, it is important to show our children and our families the significance of Eid especially this year as it is celebrated from home. It reflects the balance of the Islamic lifestyle and caring for others. There is a time for seriousness, reflection, and contemplation (Ramadan) and there is a time for joy (Eid) and being in community with one another. Both seriousness and fun come from our commitment to God, community, our families, our friends, and remembering the bounty that Allah has bestowed upon us. 

We strongly encourage you to celebrate this Eid like never before. Go all out on the Halal fun at home. Splurge if you can. Make it a priority to lift you and your family’s spirits, especially if you have children. We can’t let the pandemic bring our spirits down. If there was a time to spend, do, smile and laugh more, this is the year #EidAtHomeMN.

And keep smiling. It’s charity, as our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has told us.

Some points to remember:

Eid is about happiness.

  • Alhamdu lillah. So keep the smiles on.
  • Be happy. Ramadan has cleansed you. So make sure that you don’t do wrong.
  • Keep everyone connected this Eid and remember the one alone at home. Greet him/her with Salams and connect them over the phone or chat online. Invite them to join you for Eid programs that are happening.
  • Make Eid nothing but a joy for children. Send them gifts or give them a call.

Eid is about giving hope and bringing joy to others.

  • Our MN Muslim community  are a great community. We are generous community. You must have seen that especially in Ramadan how people were giving. Continue to give to those who less needy.
  • Give your voice to those who their rights are being violated. Allah tells us being Truthful and Just is rewarding: when he says: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted” (Quran 4:135). Stand with those who are struggling with rent, employment, discrimination or any type of social justice.

Eid is about being a community and strengthening our unity.

  • Join the many community actions to help our community survive the Covid pandemic. We must make sure during this current political climate we defeat things like Islamophobia. One of the products of Islamophobia is our weakness: People who scapegoat Muslims because of our race do it for their own powerful and financial purposes. They think that they can pick on us because of our low civic engagement and political weakness. We will prove them wrong!
  • In this historic election, Muslims will organize and make our voice heard. Join one of our many voter engagement training sessions to make sure that we use the scale of our relationships and networks to fight for our issues.

Finally, we wish you and your Family a happy and safe #EidAtHomeMN. Our community showed resiliency during Ramadan and we will continue to do so. Let us make this Eid the most energizing Eid by sharing and showing new ways to celebrate as a community.