HASANVILLE – The Hasanville community celebrated Eid (2015) on July 18 with good food, friends, family and a variety of games and events to mark the occasion.
Malaika Adams kindly invited the Gazette to this year’s Eid celebration, which marks the end of Ramadan. She explained that although they have several large celebrations throughout the year, Eid is the largest, and likened it to the Christian Christmas holiday.
Ramadan, a month-long tradition of fasting for the Muslim community, ended Friday. In addition to fasting from dawn until dusk each day during the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muslims also observe a time of increased charity toward those less fortunate, greater reflection on the teachings of Islam and spiritual improvement.
The fasting itself is a practice of self-discipline and sacrifice and encourages individuals to look beyond the needs of the physical body and focus instead on heightened devotion and spiritual purity.
The celebration this year began with a morning prayer, moving on to host a variety of activities for the kids and adults alike; including face painting, a trampoline, bouncy castle, BBQ and soccer match, to name a few. Everyone was dressed in their very best for the occasion and remained in good cheer despite the heat.
Most stopped to enjoy a large spread of food in the early afternoon.
Get your July 22, 2015 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.