WASHINGTON, 9 December 2002 — Eid Al-Fitr- American style was held at the Washington D.C. Convention Center this year, where an estimated 15,000 Muslims came to celebrate. The atmosphere was festive, United Nations-style.
Marwa, 9, from Alexandria, Virginia, summed up the mood, while waiting to get her face painted by a clown, by saying this communal Eid was “important because we get to give thanks together….”
Prayers first; then celebrations. Morning Eid prayers were held every hour on the hour, to accommodate the schedules of those making the drive to the city.
Rows of booths were set up by early morning, offering a intriguing array: Business booths dealt with real estate; ‘Shariah-compliant home financing;’ and ‘Al Safa Halal,’ a meat producer going mainstream in the US. Eid gifts were, of course, available. Everything “Muslim” could be had at the bazaar. There are books and cassettes, Islamic prints and paintings, oud and bahour, dolls, clothes, jewelry, nasheed (Islamic) music, food and henna painting, and children’s crafts.
Rizwan Jaka, president of the ADAMS, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Virginia, said getting this large space means booking three years in advance. Happy with the Eid turnout, he said: “There are a lot more people here than we expected, because the snow is quite problematic, and it’s Friday.”
This marks the seventh year that the area’s six largest mosques have co-sponsored and underwritten the event. Six smaller mosques chipped in, plus some national organizations, including CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), AMC (American Muslim Council) and MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council).
“The bazaar is rented out to businesses and organizations that help us raise money to cover the cost of the event,” Jaka said.
“What was special about this year is that everyone came — despite the rain, snow, and sleet — to pray together.”
One could also add, “shiver together” as the local temperatures dipped, and remained, in the low teens as snow turned to ice. The weather was the coldest recorded in decades.
But the area’s Muslims were drawn here for the same reason: In a non-Muslim country, it is important to be together.
Many present said the tragic events of Sept. 11 had significantly raised Americans’ awareness of Islam.
Abolfazl Nahidian, director of the Manassas Mosque in Manassas, Virginia, was “thankful for much of the negative media against us, because it has become a positive force, and Americans are thinking about it.
“Many Americans are surprised to learn that we, as Muslims, have to love Jesus completely. And that, without the loving Jesus, we cannot go to heaven, that is very clear in the Qur’an,” said Nahidian.
Nahidian said after the tragic events of Sept. 11, there were some disturbances in front of their mosque. “The police came and asked if we wanted help, but we said: ‘no, they are our neighbors and we must speak to them.’”
He asked his son to set out fruit and iced tea, and then invited the astonished protesters into their mosque. “I spoke to each one of them, and explained that we are peace-loving people; we also told them how much we love Jesus and gave them a little book on Islam.
“One man later told us he’s a ‘confederate,’ and left with tears in his eyes, saying he wished he would have known us two years ago. We never understood what he meant,” said Nahidian.
Yusuf Strohmeir, at the CAIR booth, handed out pamphlets to Muslims entitled: “Know Yours Rights Pocket Guide.” The comprehensive little booklet covers: “Getting Involved Locally,” “Writing a Letter to the Editor,” telephone numbers of all the major newspapers and television stations, with the additional suggestions: “Remember to be polite,” and “Thank as well as criticize.”
“Your Rights as an Employee,” “Communicating with Congress,” and “If the FBI Contacts You,” were also included in the pamphlet. Just finishing a 30-city tour of mosques and Islamic centers, Strohmeir, a retired Navy recruiter and former cryptologist, said the people he met throughout the tour “fear this upcoming war may really be a war against Islam, but is disguised as a war against Iraq. I heard this over and over again.”
Novera King, a Muslim for 30 years, said a “surprising” number of people had asked her about Islam and Ramadan. “They were not angry or bitter, the media magnifies all the negativity and focuses on it. People are positive and want to know more. Today, after our Eid prayer, we went for breakfast at IHOP (International House of Pancakes), and our waitress asked us a lot questions about Islam.”
“We’re having an Eid party at our mosque on Sunday,” said Novera, “and everyone is to bring a non-Muslim guest with them, so they can see and learn that we are just like everyone else.”
Noman Khan, 22, a translator for the US Marine Corps stationed at Camp Le Jeune, South Carolina, said the US military is making a genuine effort to accommodate Islam.
“They understand our obligation to Islam,” he said. “It’s better than before.”
Khan said officers don’t force Muslims to do physical training during the month of Ramadan. “They also have new rules that if you can’t eat the food on base, if it isn’t halal, then they give you extra money, called ‘commuted rations,’ or ‘comrats,’ to buy food elsewhere.”
“‘Comrats’ used to be only for married couples, but now they give it to people with special religious needs.”
Khan said the Marines gave him 15 days off for Ramadan and Eid. “Instead of taking off time for Christmas, I got to take time off for Eid.”
Camp LeJeune has a mosque, said Khan, where they attend services. “The Marines are making a very special effort to accommodate us, they don’t bother us and let us do whatever we want at the mosque.”
This, he said, is encouraging him to continue his career in the military.
“My brother and I are translators for the Marine Corps; and my brother just returned from Kandahar,” said Khan.
Asked if it was difficult for his brother in Afghanistan, Khan said: “It’s hard for the whole military, not just us. Our fellow- Marines are very appreciative of us, and they always thank us. And they also try to be sensitive to Islam, and ask us how they should treat the religion and people so as not to offend them. We tell them about our culture, and they listen to us.”
Zia Islam, 21, from Herndon, Virginia, said he came with his family to pray in the morning, and then returned in the afternoon for the festivities. Islam also said this year many people knew about Islam, and asked him about fasting. “They were interested, and full of questions.”
Islam said he and his family like to come to these gatherings because “you meet new people from other mosques, and get to see old friends you haven’t seen in a while. Twice a year the community gathers and….” he said, looking out across the crowded convention center, “you realize just how may Muslims there are in the area.”
“People think Muslim people are from Saudi Arabia, but here you see they’re from all over the world,” said Islam.
Ashraf Islam, 34, also from Herndon, said he came “with almost 20 family members” today to “see different people and cultures, and buy some new things.” He showed off a new silver ring with “Allah” written in Arabic across the top.
“Normally, people just ask who you are and what is your religion. Now, American people are aware of what Islam is, and they want to know more about it. We do our best to inform them.”
Islam said this had an interesting effect on their children. “Because they now have to explain Islam to others, they are learning more about Islam. They’re becoming very interested in their religion.
The result: “Our children are now really proud to be Muslims, because they had to learn about it.”
Asra Tanveer Shaikh, from Springfield, Virginia, is a neonatologist in an intensive care unit for newborns at George Washington Hospital in Washington.
A doctor, she wears her hijab at the hospital. “People recognize I’m a Muslim. Sometimes they ask me questions on Islam, but there is never any animosity. I feel proud to wear the hijab, it identifies me as a Muslim.” Looking out at the gathering, she says, “Here it is so nice to see women wearing the correct dress code for Islam, wearing modest apparel.”
Shaikh said her family just moved from Philadelphia, so this is the first year they have attended the DC-area Eid festivities.
“It’s nice to see so many people of all races here. All of the Eid prayers were well attended, and there are many things for the children to do. And there was the bazaar, which allowed everyone to participate as a family.” Looking out over the crowd, she said: “I wish we could learn more about all the people here. When you come here as a family, it’s hard to get to know many people. It would be ideal to get to know many of the other Muslims here.” Next year, she will.