Eid Mubarak 2015

It’s nearly 10:30 Chicago time. I’m sitting in my kitchen waiting for the banitza to come out of the oven. I texted “mabrook” to my brother for completing another perfect month of fasting. I told my son he cannot open the huge bag of lollipops that the kids will get tomorrow. And my kids are laying out their Eid clothes.

I feel a sense of sadness that Ramadan is over. The holy month where the blessings you can receive are a million-fold is coming to the end. The devils will be set loose. The opportunities to increase barakah in daily life is over until next Ramadan. I also feel a sense of stress. I allow myself to feel stressed on the eve of Eid and the morning of Eid every time. I shouldn’t though. This is #myjihad. I think I feel a sense of stress because as American Muslims, we have to make the holiday ours. Whether there is work, school or anything going on in our communities- we have to make sure our holidays are a priority. And then, we have to make sure our children feel it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Remember it. We must make it special for our children.

Allah provided this holy day to us. He told us to wear our best clothes. To visit our neighbors and our relatives and our loved ones at the grave sites. To attend Eid prayer and to wish Eid Mubarak to everyone we see. This is our blessing.

I feel so emotional about it this year. I’m not sure why. Typing this is making me cry. Maybe as I get older, I realize more and more the importance, significance and immense blessing that this month is. It’s incredible really. If you are a believer and you truly start to understand – even if it takes until your forties – it is mind blowing.

I read the full Qur’an translation last year with the intention to read it all and comprehend it. No matter how long it took. I finished the last sentence on the eve of Eid. This year I embarked on the same goal – even moderating a Facebook group of people wanting to accomplish the same goal. I didn’t finish it this time around. But that’s okay. I’m going to keep going beyond Eid, inshaAllah, and complete it again. Qur’an reads to you. Individually. The experience this time is a completely different experience than last time. Again- mind blown. InshaAllah, I can start improving my Qu’ranic Arabic. Perhaps next Ramadan, if God wills – I will be reading it in Arabic every night.

I am saddened by the tragedy in #Chattanooga today. Why?  I love this city. I have relatives a few hours away. I have spent time in Chattanooga and it is a gem. Why did this coward with a Muslim name murder armed forces personnel? I’m so very sad for the pain their families are going through. May Allah help our world stop the senseless violence that shatters lives.

I pray for the Ummah to have the most amazing Eid al-Fitr this year. Filled with blessings. Filled with accomplishments. Filled with family, love and of course, food.  I wish for peace for our planet. And an end to war. And an end to bigotry. Ameen.

Bajram Serif Mubarak Olsun! Eid Mubarak!  Happy Eid!

Love, Yasmina

11:00 pm update: one of the banitzas is done. 🙂

banitza or Bulgarian feta cheese pie

About the Author

About the Author: I'm a Writer, Speaker and Muslim Activist. I'm a former Board Member of the #MyJihad Public Education Campaign. Follow my blog at yasminareality.com or follow me on Twitter: @yasmina_reality. I'm also now on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YasminaReality Peace! More from this author.