Last Thursday, the twenty-fourth of September, there were Eid Prayers and Celebrations taking place all over our community’s mosques. Eid is Muslim holiday to celebrate the sacrifices of our Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) as he showed that even though he loved his only son he was prepared to sacrifice him because of his love for the only God. People also go to Hajj in Mecca to experience the trials and tribulations or the prophets of Islam while they were trying to spread the word of Islam to all the sisters and brothers around the world.

There are many things people do during Eid, some people stay with their extended families in big groups or just the immediate family and go to the mosque to say the traditional prayer in honor. The honor is for those who spare their time for the Festival of Sacrifice and butcher the goats and other animals to remind the Muslim people what happened in their history. After that most people go with their family and/or friends and party or go to a public restaurant to eat. During the second and third days of Eid Al Adha most people pray for health and strength to those who have went to Hajj and may not return. The cause being how hot it is, by walking around the Kaaba seven times, being in tight places with other people and so on. There are also many blessings to going to Hajj, “Those who die while walking in the Pilgrimage of Mecca and Medina will be a pure soul without any sin as long as they have gotten rid of any debt and asked for forgiveness for past sins before participating in the ‘Walk.” According to Imam, Faizul Khan, of the ISWA mosque in an interview on Eid day. He also said a few words for those who came back alive and well and with a “clean slate”. Imam Faizul Khan stated, “The other group of people come back exhausted, but as newborn babies that have not committed any sins in this world. They come as people that can start a new lifestyle by giving back to their creator and Lord for all the chances and forgiveness they were given.”

Not many people can understand and be open minded towards Muslim beliefs because of mistakes made by others, but on this day brothers and sisters of the same religion come together in peace; to celebrate our success in bringing more people together, even though there have been those small black sheep of our family that have made mistakes. The bigger ratio is the people who are serious about Islam and know there are rules and no shortcuts and excuses for sinners and wrongdoers even if they are Muslim. All people are judged as equals depending on their actions because under Allah, everyone is a creation no matter the class of power or privilege.