On Friday, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, one of the biggest holidays, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. On this day, people dress nicely, eat well and give gifts to each other.
Jihad Baroud, 9 years old, was overjoyed to have received SEK 200 in eidia (gift money) and planned to go bowling with his family in the evening.
The meaning of the holiday
Haneen Baroud explained the significance of Eid al-Fitr for Muslims living in Kalmar.
– It is fun and meaningful for me and my children to visit my mother, who lives here alone. My mother has distributed sweets and money to my children and they are very happy. It is important to remember our cultural and religious background and to teach the children to celebrate Eid al-Fitr after Ramadan, just like we did when we were little, says Haneen Baroud.
Missing home
Although the feeling of the celebration is not the same as in the home country, it is still an important time, says Haneen Baroud.
– We usually gather in a mosque to pray the Eid prayer, then we go home and eat a real breakfast to break the fast. Here in Kalmar, however, it will be a bit without the usual Eid feeling due to the fact that we are not in the home country and do not have so many relatives and friends here. We hope that the war in Syria will end soon so that we can return, says Sadda Abd Alhamid, grandmother of Jihad and Kinan (age 5).
