Eid ul Fitr: Having a happy and safe Eid
As Ramadan draws to a close, Muslims will be getting ready to celebrate Eid ul Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is an incredibly important month in the Islamic faith as it's a month of fasting, prayer and spiritual reflection. For Muslims in Hackney and across the world, Ramadan would have been observed very differently this year due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and with the UK being in lockdown.
Whilst Eid is often characterised by celebrations with friends and family, as well as special communal prayers, this will not be possible due to government guidance. From Easter to Passover, faith groups have had to observe their religious celebrations at home in recent months with places of worship being closed.
In order to protect one another and to have a safe Eid, Hackney’s mosques, parks or other public spaces cannot be used for Eid ul-Fitr prayers or any other forms of gathering.
I want to wish a happy and joyous Eid Mubarak to everyone getting ready to celebrate this important occasion. Eid is a very special time for Muslims and my colleagues and I would be preparing to come together with Muslim residents to attend celebrations across our borough. However, due to the current coronavirus pandemic, we will not be able to meet at present.
Muslims have been patiently observing lockdown guidance during Ramadan, for which we are grateful. Similarly, Eid will have to be celebrated at home with members of your own household, to help save lives. We all look forward to being able to come together again soon.
Hackney’s faith communities have really had to adapt their religious celebrations in light of the coronavirus pandemic. I am acutely aware of how special the festival of Eid is to all Muslims and how hard it will be not to join friends and family for this special occasion.
However, I was impressed with the innovative ways the Muslim community stayed connected during the month of Ramadan and I am sure Muslims will find similar ways of celebrating this day with loved ones virtually.
There are a number of organisations who have created online services specifically for Eid ul Fitr, including the East London Mosque which will be broadcasting special Eid messages in different languages on the day.
Sources of guidance and information
Additional advice on coronavirus, as well as guidance on how to observe Eid ul Fitr this year can be found on The Muslim Council of Britain’s website, and on the Council’s coronavirus pages.