Happy Eid — the Festival of Sweets!
Eid Mubarak or Happy Eid! Marking the end of Ramadan — the Muslim holy month of fasting — Eid-al-Fitr will take place from the evening of Thursday, April 20 to the evening of Friday, April 21. Translated as “Festival of Sweets” or “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” Eid-al-Fitr is a time of celebration, connection and gratitude.
Three Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) community members recently shared how they will be marking Eid this month.
Owais Lightwala
Professor, The Creative School; Master of Business Administration ’22
Owais is an assistant professor in the School of Performance at The Creative School. His expertise includes creative producing, arts entrepreneurship, and innovation in arts and culture industries. For eight years as Why Not Theatre’s managing director, he produced award-winning works and innovative models. Owais holds a theatre degree from York University and an MBA from TMU.
Image 1: Owais with his nephew; Image 2: Owais (in foreground) and his family enjoy an Eid barbecue; Image 3: Owais (far right, in blue) with his family in a restaurant, following an Eid meal. Photos courtesy of Owais Lightwala.
Eid is a ritual of release after hardship to remind us that the hard things are worth more than the easy things, and we should resist living a life of short-term gratification.
What does Eid mean to you?
Eid for me can only be understood in relation to Ramadan; without understanding Ramadan, Eid is not particularly meaningful. I understand Ramadan as a time of self-sacrifice, patience and community. After completing 30 days of fasting, Eid then becomes a moment of celebration and gratitude. It is a moment to appreciate all the good things in life: family, food, gathering. But ultimately, it’s a celebration of life itself, of the gift that it is to be alive and to have people around you who drive you crazy but you love anyway. Eid is a ritual of release after hardship to remind us that the hard things are worth more than the easy things, and we should resist living a life of short-term gratification.
What do you wish others knew about Eid?
I don’t know how other Muslims would feel about this, but I’d love for everyone to embrace and celebrate Eid the way Thanksgiving and Christmas is celebrated by many communities. I would love to see Eid become a national holiday in a country with such a large population of Muslims (along with Passover and Diwali while we’re at it), and an opportunity for anyone from any background to gather with friends and family and celebrate life and each other. I don’t know how many people would want to do the fasting part, but fair enough, those are hard!
Safiya Nurmohamed
Career Education Specialist, Career, Co-op and Student Success Centre
Safiya is a Muslim Canadian born and raised in the GTA. At TMU, she works as a career educator, supporting the growth and development of engineering students in their career journeys. She serves on the TMU Muslim Employee Community Network which aims to foster a sense of community amongst Muslim colleagues.
Image 1: Safiya Nurmohamed, photo courtesy of Safiya; Image 2: Biryani dish. Photo credit: Shourav Sheikh.
What are your plans for Eid this year?
We put on some festive clothing and head to the mosque for prayers. It’s a fun time getting to meet friends, family and community members. Also, an important thing for us on this special day is to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us. Typically, we head to the cemetery to be with them for a little while.
Do you have a favourite Eid tradition?
My favourite tradition is giving kids gifts or money, known as Eidi. Once it gets close to Eid, they look forward to dressing up, getting gifts and getting to eat sweets. It’s fun to see the spirit of Eid embodied in kids, which is just pure joy and happiness. I remember being very excited every year to get my own gifts. We try to give meaningful gifts every year that we know the kids will enjoy. Seeing my nieces and nephews open them up is my favourite part!
Do you have a favourite Eid dish?
In the morning, we have a special Eid breakfast that my grandmother makes. There is a sweet dish called meethi sev, which is vermicelli noodles, dried fruits and sugar; and a savoury lentil curry called daal. Eid biryani is probably my favourite. Biryani is a layered dish with meat and rice. It’s spiced and flavourful, aromatic and warm. We usually have it for lunch. It’s a hearty celebration food for a festive day.
Adnan Virk
Sportscaster, Radio and Television Arts ’00
Adnan is a Canadian sportscaster whose on-air work includes TSN, MLSE, ESPN, MLB and the NHL Networks. He hosts the Cinephile podcast for Meadowlark Media, a labour of love which showcases his love of movies. Adnan and his wife Eamon have four boys and reside in New Jersey.
Image 1: Adnan with his sons on Eid 2022; Image 2: Adnan’s mother and aunt on Eid 2022. Photos courtesy of Adnan Virk.
What are your plans for Eid this year?
Well, clearly I’ll just be thrilled to eat during daylight hours again! I’ll go to our mosque with my wife and four boys for Eid Prayers at 10 a.m., followed by a nice meal and some small gifts for my kids. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and once Ramadan is over and we get to Eid, it’s really a time of deep satisfaction.
Do you have a favourite Eid family tradition?
Movies are a big part of the Virk family household so I’m sure we’ll watch something together as a family either at the movie theater or at home. The wide age range of my kids (14, 11, 6 and 4) means it’s hard to find a movie that we’ll all enjoy, but with popcorn and slushies, the snacks end up being the great equalizer.
What do you wish others knew about this holiday?
I think there’s more awareness of Eid now in the western world but I just wish people knew it was a good thing to say Happy Eid or Eid Mubarak. There are some religious holidays like Yom Kippur that are solemn but Eid is a wonderful time, especially after the trials of Ramadan. I’m also grateful for Eid and always wistful that such a spiritual time in Ramadan has now come to an end.
The Muslim Employee Community Network at Toronto Metropolitan University will be hosting its annual Eid Al-Fitr Celebration — in-person — and TMU alumni and friends are invited! Come out and join us for an hour filled with fun, games and good food.
Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: To be announced
Want to share your special holiday traditions?
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