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Toronto Star
SPECIALS
Thursday,
November 30, 2000
They thank God for His
blessings, celebrate with gift-giving
Eid al Fitr is the largest
festival for the Muslim community. It's a celebration of joy (the Arabic
word Eid means joy and Fitr means charity) and it's a time to thank God
for His blessings.
This year Muslims are
blessed to celebrate two Eids in one year because the Islamic lunar
calendar is 10 days short of the Gregorian calendar, so Eid moves ahead
about 10 days each year.
The community already
celebrated one Eid last January and the second Eid may fall on the day
after Christmas, depending on the sighting of the moon (Two Eids in one
year happens only once every 33 years).
The celebration of Eid
comes after a month of fasting from dawn till dusk. This period, which
started on Nov. 27, is called Ramadan which is a time for reflection,
self-control, prayer and self-restraint for all able-bodied Muslims. The
elderly, sick, pregnant women and young children do not have to fast.
In preparation for the
festival of Eid, new clothes, shoes and accessories are bought for
children and adults. It's considered a blessing to wear everything new on
Eid day and this is why special charity is incumbent on all Muslims before
the day of celebration so that the poor and needy may also avail of this
blessing.
It becomes a very special
day for those who have fasted in the month of Ramadan preceding Eid so
special care is taken to ensure that they are congratulated, feted and
given gifts.
Eid is a time for giving
and receiving gifts. Traditionally, elders of the family used to give
coins and cash to younger members of the family and this is called Eidee.
In Canada, some Muslims
still follow the tradition of giving cash, while others have moved on to
giving gifts instead of cash. Women have their hands painted with henna
(at about $10 per hand or foot) and wear coloured, glass bangles as
accessories to their new outfits.
Traditionally on Eid day,
mithai (East Indian sweets) are served and also given as gifts in
colourfully wrapped gift boxes. These can be purchased from any East
Indian mithai store (at about $6 per pound); but at home the traditional
Eid dessert that is cooked is vermicelli in milk.
Mahnaz Iqbal, owner of
Oriental Costumes in Mississauga, made a special trip back to Pakistan
this month to obtain items for Eid. She has distinctive Eid gifts like
ready-to-wear outfits for men and women and a tailor on hand to make
customized outfits. She also has costume jewelry, glass bangles, marble
ornaments, pure silk Pashmina shawls and cushion covers handmade in the
villages of Pakistan with gilt thread, hand-embroidered shoes, slippers
and silk handbags.
This year Canada's
approximately half a million strong Muslim community can take advantage of
Christmas specials for their Eid shopping. If they are looking for
traditional clothes, sweets or accessories, ethnic stores are filling up
with Eid specials as well.
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© 2000 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.
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