Across Australia, mosques and public spaces have been filled by Muslims celebrating the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan.
Traditionally, the festival of Eid al-Fitr begins with the first sighting of the new moon, marking the end of a month dedicated to fasting from sunrise until sunset.
Despite heavy rain, the spirit of the congregation arriving at the Lakemba mosque in Sydney’s south-west remained high, starting early Thursday morning for Eid prayers.
To accommodate the attendees, roads surrounding the mosque were closed off, allowing for a large gathering.
As is customary during Eid, families and children departed the service with pockets full of sweets.
During Eid celebrations, it is also common for Muslim families to visit hospitalized relatives and honor their deceased loved ones.
Attending the prayers, 22-year-old Rarbie Ziad expressed that for him, the essence of Eid lies in spending time with family.
“After this it’s all about family; we’ll be visiting relatives, then heading to the cemetery to remember all our past family members, and afterward, we’ll return for a big lunch,” he said.
Mr. Noah also found the morning to encompass more than just a religious practice.
“Upon exiting the mosque after prayers, you reconnect with your cousins and friends,” Mr. Noah noted.
“Eid celebrations revolve around family and community.”
The event at Lakemba saw participation from leaders of Sydney’s Muslim community, high-ranking officers from New South Wales police, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, along with Federal MPs Chris Bowen and Joe Hockey.
In Melbourne, Eid prayers for the Muslim community took place at Flagstaff Gardens beginning at 7:30am.
According to a report from 2007, there were 340,389 Muslims residing in Australia, making up 1.7 percent of the overall population.
Amid the festivities and delicacies, many Australian Muslims express concern for family members situated in the Middle East.
Living in Sydney’s inner west, Mohammed Helel, who has relatives in Cairo, mentioned that this year’s Eid won’t hold the same spirit.
“I worry they won’t experience the quality time that Egyptians usually enjoy during this period,” he explained.
“For us adults, we will savor the moments as much as possible and pray for our families back in Egypt.”
He expressed that the ongoing political unrest in Egypt will affect how his family celebrates the Eid festival.
“People in Egypt are not at ease; there are ongoing issues related to the military coup and citizens insisting on their rights,” Mr. Helel remarked. “Within each family, there are varied opinions, making it less joyful than the past Eid celebrations we had in Egypt.”
