P.E.I. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha 'how Christmas would be'

A major celebration took place Monday for Island Muslims, who gathered to celebrate Eid al-Adha with early-morning prayers followed by fellowship and a feast.

'It's only one of two major festivals that we have for Muslims. So this is big'

Sara Fraser · CBC News · Posted: Sep 12, 2016 12:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 12, 2016

Omair Imtiaz (right, in brown) celebrates Eid al-Adha Monday with friends at a Charlottetown mosque. (Submitted by Omair Imtiaz)

A major celebration took place on Monday for Island Muslims, who gathered to celebrate Eid al-Adha with early-morning prayers followed by fellowship and a feast.

Every year, Eid brings thousands of faithful together for morning prayers. It's one of two Eids Muslims celebrate — the other is Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan.

It's kind of like how Christmas would be, where it's all basically a time of gifts and family and friends and food and getting together.— Omair Imtiaz

"This is the greater Eid," said Omair Imtiaz, a member of P.E.I.'s Muslim Society who attends the mosque in Charlottetown. "It basically commemorates the prophet Abraham's willingness to give up his only son for the sake of God."

Eid al-Adha is held to celebrate the hajj, an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia — one of the main pillars of Islam which every able-bodied Muslim is required to undertake at least once. Generally, those who aren't on the pilgrimage come together locally to celebrate the event.

Best foot forward

"We start waking up bright and early, we wash up, we wear our best clothes on this day," explained Imtiaz. "It's a time of gathering, it's a time of unity, it's a time of family and friends and food."

Today's ceremony at the mosque ends with everyone greeting each other, and asking other for forgiveness for any wrongdoings that were committed during the year.

"They hug each other and wish each other 'Eid Mubarak,' and then we go have a snack, some sweets, to celebrate, then go around and visit with family and friends," Imtiaz said.

'This is big'

Monday night the Muslim community with gather at Jack Blanchard Hall in Charlottetown for a potluck supper.

We're trying to make it as big and glamorous as possible.— Omair Imtiaz

"It's kind of like how Christmas would be, where it's all basically a time of gifts and family and friends and food and getting together."

"This is absolutely huge, it's only one of two major festivals that we have for Muslims. So this is big," Imtiaz said, adding Eid al-Adha is not yet a public holiday in Canada, so Muslims do not have the day off work.

Including newcomers

The arrival in P.E.I. of many Muslim newcomers from Syria in the past year has changed celebrations somewhat, Imtiaz added.

"We've been making sure that we have translators so they understand. And we've been celebrating more traditionally, the way they're used to … back home," Imtiaz explained. Members of the existing community have also enjoyed learning Syrian traditions and eating Syrian food.

"We're learning a lot from the newcomers and they're fitting in just fine," he said. "We're very happy to have them."

"We're trying to make it as big and glamorous as possible," said Imtiaz, noting Syrians would be used to having a major three-day festival back home for Eid al-Adha.