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Hey, Happy Eid, peoples.

Eid is the religious holiday at the end of the month of Ramadan, which is the Muslim month of fasting. For the entire month, there is no eating, drinking or consuming anything while the sun is up. It is believed to be a test of faith, discipline and restraint. Mubaraak, is a congratulatory term, hence Eid Mubaraak.

Eid also happens to be today (Monday the 23rd).

During the month of Ramadan, Muslim families often get together and eat and pray in the evenings once the sun goes down. The Qur'an is broken up into thirty chapters (or paaras) made up of several prayers (surahs or surats) and every night, families meet at a mosque and listen to a chapter in Arabic recited by a Hafiz (someone who has memorized the Qur'an in its entirety).

The most important night of the month is Lai'lat'ul Qadr (the Night of power). Historically speaking Lai'lat'ul Qadr falls on the night when the surah ("the Recitation") is read. "the Recitation" is the first prayer that was given to the Prophet Muhammad by Gibreel (Angel Gabriel) and is of the most widely know surahs from the Qur'an. My grandmother passed away on Lai'lat'ul Qadr one year and this had strong familial significance as it is supposed to mean a safe passage to heaven.

The months shift all the time based on the lunar calendar, but there is another Eid (Bakr Eid) in a few months. Bakr (or sheep) Eid is based around the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) planning to kill his son at God's (Allah's) request. Allah (God) replaces the son with a sheep and Ibrahim kills the little fluff instead. Sheep are killed and money/sheep meat is given to the poor during this holiday.

These are the two major Muslim Holidays.

hth.


Faiz

Edit note: this was from memory and was a bit spotty in parts. I've made a few changes and I'm not 100% that I got the Lai'lat'ul Qadr stuff perfectly.

Kerble, meet Kerble.

This thread has more info. So it's more better, personal and informative then just a holiday greeting

mrdfnle wrote:This thread has more info. So it's more better, personal and informative then just a holiday greeting

I just cut and pasted it from one of my old posts.


haha!

I was wondering if it was a big holiday today because as I walked to the subway today everyone was dressed up as if they were going to their mosque, but as far as I knew it was not prayer time.

Actually, when *are* prayer times? I live equidistant from several small mosques and never, ever hear the call to prayer. Maybe they don't do it here because it's a mixed neighborhood?

I had a friend in college who had a clock that signified prayer time with a muzzein's call. It was pretty cool.

burun wrote:Actually, when *are* prayer times? I live equidistant from several small mosques and never, ever hear the call to prayer. Maybe they don't do it here because it's a mixed neighborhood?

It varies with the length of the day. You pray (give salat) five times a day; Fajr (dawn), Zhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (sunset) and Eshaa (evening). In my neighbourhood the local authorities have prevented the call to prayer (adhan) from being sounded because of the complaints of nearby residents of the mosques. To be fair, if you live on the doorstep of a mosque, the last thing you want at four in the morning is to be woken up by someone screaming in your ears that prayer is better than sleep. It's patently not.

Eid Mubarak!

Heck, i thought you were talking about this guy:

so close! good to see you Grammers.


Eid Mubaraak, bumble.


and to all.




Faiz

I think this is what we call "sugarfest."

I just enjoyed a bit of this "sugar fest" with some Turkish compadres.

I went on at length about the lack of taste in interior design among the Turks.

"All you can think to put on your wall is a picture of that creepy guy?"

Haha, take that Turks!

Baklava!