Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr

The Saudi Student Society hosted a celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the day that marks the end of the holy month Ramadan, Wednesday at Attucks Park and the Carbondale Muslim Center.

During the 30-day observance of Ramadan, Muslims are called upon to abstain from eating, drinking and evil actions, thoughts or words from true dawn, about an hour and 20 minutes before the sun comes up, to sunset. The annual fast is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.

Muslims observing the fast and subsequent holiday away from their families said they experienced a new set of obstacles to overcome but found a sense of community through fellow Muslims at the center.

Raeed Al-Dahis, a sophomore from Saudi Arabia studying accounting, said Muslims take this time to thank god for the good in their lives, hope god forgives their sins and spend time with loved ones.

He said observing Ramadan in the United States was not easy.

"It was difficult," Al-Dahis said. "It's not like back home. It's different, I mean, back home the government, like schools and businesses they close ... so people can fast easily, but over here we have to adjust our time."

For many Muslims, celebrating Eid al-Fatr at the center helped them cope with the differences.

In January Khoolod Al-Shareaf and her two sons moved from Saudi Arabia to the United States so she could earn her master's degree in clinical psychology at SIUC.

She said the strong community environment at the mosque works as a familial substitute for her and her sons.

"It's for socializing," she said. "They usually help me and give me support. It's a day all the families meet with each other. Usually, in Saudi Arabia, we celebrate for six days, every day. It's for families, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins and my friends, we meet with each other."

Dhay Al-Dhawyan, a Saudi Arabian student studying business at John A. Logan College, said she misses her family very much this time of year, but feels welcome and accepted in Carbondale, especially at the center.

"Everybody comes here because it's the biggest mosque in Carbondale and we always like to celebrate together, all Muslims from all countries," Al-Dhawyan said. "I meet a lot of Muslims that I never know before, even Saudi, not just from other nations."

She said Islam is essentially the same in every country so meshing their religious cultures in America is not difficult.

"We are Muslim," Al-Dhawyan said. "We all believe in Muhammad and God and that's it. I think everybody here believes in the same thing."

Many of Al-Dhawyan and her husband's friends were unable to attend the celebration because their instructors wouldn't give them permission to miss class or scheduled tests on Wednesday.

She is studying business at John A. Logan College and would like to study interior design at SIUC. Her husband is pursuing his master's degree in computer science.

"Some teachers, they don't allow some students to come and the problem is, we don't have as much holidays and Christians have in America," Al-Dhawyan said. "We only have two and this is one of them. The end of Ramadan is really important in our religion and I wish they would accept, you know, let them go to come to this holiday to be with other Muslims because this is the only chance to meet with everybody."

Najjar Abdul-Musawwir, the faculty chair of the Saudi Student Society, said he believes American's awareness of Ramadan is increasing.

Ramadan has become so well known in America, a gas station attendant knew Abdul-Musawwir was observing Ramadan when he told him he was buying food to break his fast Tuesday evening, he said.

"I asked him if he was Muslim, if he knew about Islam and he said, 'No, I don't know about Islam, but I know about Ramadan.' So I think Ramadan is becoming more a part of the American mainstream. I know it will be a beautiful contribution to the good growth of America, knowing about Ramadan, knowing about the belief and what not."

The Islamic belief is the same as the Christians and follow the teachings of the writers of the Bible in addition to those of Muhammad in the Qu'ran, Abdul-Musawwir, associate professor in the school of art and design, said.

"I embraced Islam in 1980, but consider it a revert, not a convert because Muslim means one who submits to God, the creator," he said. "Everything has to submit to God, willingly or unwillingly, aware or not aware, so everything is Muslim. As a mu'min, I adhere to the teachings of the Qu'ran and that makes me mu'min, which means a believer."

As believers, Muslims honor Ramadan and celebrate Eid al-Fitr not only with large meals, but with contributions to the poor called Zakat.

"The breaking of the fast is a time of forgiveness and a time to remember those who don't have as much," he said. "We should be very considerate. If I have a piece of bread, I should cut it in four pieces if there are four people with us."

He said the Muslims at the center donate locally, nationally and internationally.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid al-Fitr marks the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month.

The other major celebration, Eid al-Adha, marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Because the Islamic lunar calendar is based on the visual appearance of the moon, Eid al-Adha is scheduled to be celebrated Dec. 8 or 9, depending on where it is celebrated.

Brandy Oxford can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 255 or brandy.oxford@siude.com