MSA CELEBRATES EID-UL-ADHA

10/23/2013

The Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Bridgewater State University held a celebratory event for Eid-ul-Adha, the second most important Muslim holiday, in the MDR room of the Maxwell Library on October 16. The event included Arabic calligraphy, henna tattoo designs, and Middle Eastern sweets.

According to a video created by Dima Sallat, one of the leaders of the MSA and hosts of the event, there are two main festivals in Islam: Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.

Sallat and Ghada Masri, another MSA leader and sponsor of the event, took on celebrating Eid-ul-Adha at Bridgewater State from the Middle-Eastern Studies department in previous years.

SONY DSC — Junior graphic design and marketing major Ghada Masri writes participants names. Heather Burgess photo.

“It was more lecture-based in the past,” said Sallat. “This year we tried to make it more fun.”

Eid-ul-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, celebrates the prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham in the English bible) willingness to sacrifice his son. The day of Eid starts with Muslims praying in local Mosques while wearing their best clothes before sacrificing a sheep, and then splitting the meat evenly among family, friends and the poor.

They also have the option of giving money to charity. They then visit friends and family and give gifts, as well as enjoy special foods. At the end of the day, people will ask for, as well as grant, forgiveness to others.

Eid-ul-Fitr is another major Muslim holiday held at the end of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and is meant to show honor to the god Ramadan through fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Sallat said she hoped through this event that the people who attended would be able to learn more about the Muslim holiday in general.

“A lot of people don’t know about it,” she said. “People know more about Christmas and Hanukkah as holidays. I hope we can teach people to be more accepting. Hopefully gain another Muslim.”

Sallat said that she is hoping she will be able to get people to redo the event next year.

Karen Sargent, a senior majoring in cultural anthropology at Bridgewater State, said the event was a definite success.

“I didn’t think there would be this many people,” she said. “It’s great.”

The Muslim Student Association has more events coming up this year . Email Dima Sallat at dsallat@bridgew.edu for more information.

Elizabeth Keeling is a Comment staff writer. Email her at ekeeling@student.bridgew.edu.