Afghans Celebrate Eid with Enthusiasm and Fervor

The holy month of fasting, Ramadan, is over and here Eid has arrived with all its fun, enjoyment bringing happiness and joy to the faces of Afghan Muslims. Like most other Muslim nations, Afghanistan is celebrating Eid today with religious zeal and excitement. A whole month of fasting for the practicing Muslims is over in which Muslims are required to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is the holiest month in Islamic calendar which is followed by Eid-ul-Fitr, a three day celebration that starts with special Eid prayers in the morning of the first day of Eid. However, the sighting of the Shawal moon, the next month on Islamic Calendar, is the deciding factor.

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Muslims across the globe celebrate Eid but with different tastes and as per their tradition and culture. For Afghans, this religious festivity means celebration, fun, eating, drinking, partying and visiting relatives. Whereas, everyone celebrates this celebration with close relatives, it’s a reminder not to forget the poor. And Afghanistan is one of the poorest nations on earth with thousands of children begging on streets and working in different ways to earn a dollar or two to support their family which usually consists of their burqa clad mother, young brothers and sisters with no father for most Afghan children have been left fatherless due to the unending war in the unfortunate nation.

Afghans enjoy Eid with special dishes, and their traditional dry fruits and cakes, cookies, and sweets of various types. Visiting relatives, starting with the closest, is another cherished tradition. Visiting amusement parks, cinemas, zoo, hill stations etc are yet another manifestation of celebrating Eid amongst the Afghan youth. Since the fall of Taliban family outings to the picnic spots like Qargha, Paghman, Jabal Saraj and Salang (all in Kabul) have become popular destinations for celebration in Kabul. While in the provinces, people gather around their provincial capital’s hotspots. The Shrine of Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam, is a favorite destination for the citizen of Mazar-e-Sharif while in the eastern city of Herat; Heratis throng the shrine of great Sufi Mystic Khwaja Abdullah Ansar and other Sufi Saints. Yet in the western city of Jalalabad and Paktia, Afghans gather in the city center and celebrate the occasion by dancing Attan, the traditional Afghan dance.

Eid is a time of happiness, sharing, and caring for the poor. It reminds the faithful of their responsibilities toward the less fortunate peoples. As we celebrate it today, let’s not forget the poor, and the vulnerable circumstances we live in. Let’s pray for a prosperous Afghanistan and an Afghanistan that sees no more war and destruction.