'Happy Eid!': Justin Trudeau tweets to Newfoundland boys celebrating end of Ramadan
CBC News | Posted: July 6, 2016 2:41 PM | Last Updated: July 6, 2016
Two young boys celebrating the end of Ramadan received a special message on Twitter Wednesday, after asking a CBC reporter to show the prime minister their picture.
Their request came as the growing Muslim community in the St. John's area celebrated the end of Ramadan with prayers and a feast at the Jack Byrne Arena in Torbay.
After morning prayer, two boys — who didn't leave their names — asked the St. John's Morning Show's Cecil Haire to show a photo he took of them to Justin Trudeau.
Sure enough, after the photo was tweeted, Trudeau's Twitter account responded.
"Tell them I saw it. And happy Eid!" the tweet from @JustinTrudeau read.
Community growing
Syed Pirzada, president of the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, said the community has grown "by leaps and bounds."
With hundreds of members, he said the community needs its own venue where it can hold dinners, multicultural events and religious ceremonies.
Ramadan is a sacred time for Muslims who believe that it was when the Qu'ran — the holy book — was revealed through the prophet Muhammad.
The month, which started this year on June 3, includes dawn-to-dusk fasting, and ends with a religious holiday called Eid.
A community celebration — featuring pizza, bouncy castles and cotton candy — will be held 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jack Byrne Arena.