Eid Mubarak!

Last week the Dar Assadaqa women’s group discussed the festival of Eid al-Adha which took place over the weekend. 

This is a transcript of the short interview we enacted in the session as a framework for our discussion. We did record the interview but unfortunately the proximity of Dar Assadaqa to the mosque meant that the Call to Prayer rather scuppered the interview’s audio quality!

“Thank you for participating in this interview today. We are talking about Eid al-Adha, the upcoming Muslim festival.

Can  you tell us why you are looking forward to Eid this weekend?"

"I’m looking forward to spending time with my friends and family, my parents, my brother, my sister and visiting people, eating and having time off."

"To be honest I was more excited about the last Eid, because we went to the sea. It was the first time I had been in 12 years because the Occupation has prevented us from going. Thousands of people went in many buses. Lots of people had never seen the sea before, especially the children. We swam – just the women without men."

"Can you tell us why Eid is celebrated? What is the story behind Eid?"

"Eid al-Adha celebrates the story of Ibrahim and his son Ishmael. It is the story of the sacrifice that God demanded of Ibrahim that Ibrahim willingly give up his son to God. Ibrahim went to Ishmael to tell him what God had asked and Ishmael told his father to do as God willed. At the last minute however an angel appeared to Ibrahim and told him to sacrifice a big sheep instead."

"Eid al-Adha remembers this story and also the return of the pilgrims from Hajj."

What kind of things will you do to celebrate Eid?

There are all sorts of preparations, we’ll clean the house, decorate everything with flowers, get ready for a party. We’ll wear our best clothes – especially the women and children. Some people choose to fast the day before in preparation. 

We make special sweets called Mamoul made from Semolina, Sugar, Butter, Oil, Yeast and Milk and Spices mixed together and wrapped around dates or chocolate. You should use a special Mamoul maker to get the shapes right. There’s also special bread you can make for Eid with olive oil and spices blended in.

Eid is about meeting with your family, with relatives and neighbours and extending your hospitality to the whole community, including people less fortunate that you.

Money is given to children and to women in particular.

There are special also Eid prayers used over Eid.

Prayers in front of Al Aqsa with the Dome
of the Rock in the background.

Abu Dis Boys School

Before the Apartheid Wall was erected around Abu Dis people from here would go to Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem to say the Eid Prayers which must be done outside.

Instead the people of Abu Dis now meet in the Abu Dis Boys School playground as this is the largest open space. It has to be cleaned and sanctified before it can be used. Of course it's great as a space for school children but not the same as being able to travel freely to Jerusalem to pray at one of the world's most holy sites for Muslims.