With mosques shuttered and families sheltering at home, Southern Californians find new, creative ways to celebrate.
Every year, on the first night of Ramadan, Zainab Husseini has invited family members to her home for an iftar dinner, with which Muslims break their daylong fast during the holy month. But, this year, statewide stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench in what has been an annual tradition at Husseini’s home for more than a decade now.
“I thought we still needed to find a way,” said the Placentia mother of two. “So, I prepared food and put them in boxes.”
Family members drove over to her home and picked up the iftar boxes. At sundown, the family congregated on Zoom, broke their fast with dates, prayed together and ate their meals.
“Our family truly felt connected and not alone,” Husseini said. “It was beautiful.”
Muslim families around Southern California have found new and creative ways of celebrating the holiday this year, with mosques shuttered and community events canceled because of the global pandemic. Community iftars were canceled, as were home visits to see friends and family — a cherished custom during these holidays.
But, like Husseini, others have found ways to keep up the spirit of Ramadan. Lubna Dadabhoy of Chino said she felt bad when she heard a friend’s child say: “This is going to be the worst Eid ever.” Eid al-Fitr, to be celebrated Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan.
In Southern California, Muslims gather by the thousands on this day to celebrate together and offer special prayers.
“I was just so sad to hear children being disheartened because it wasn’t going to be a usual celebration this year,” Dadabhoy said.
So, she posted special items families can make together during the holidays on her YouTube Ramadan Craft Channel.
