Pittsburgh Muslims celebrate Eid and reflect on Ramadan

Muslims around the world celebrated Eid on Wednesday, including those in Pittsburgh.

Salaah Brooks, Imam of the First Muslim Mosque, al-Masjid al-Awwal, in the Hill District, celebrated the Eid holiday on Wednesday with his congregation, in accordance with the tenets of orthodox Sunni Islam.

“We began our day with a prayer, a congregational prayer conducted in our mosque,” Brooks said, noting that hundreds were in attendance.

The prayers are about praise and glorification of Allah, as well as requests for needs and reciting of Quran passages.

There are two Eid celebrations: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which will occur in June.

“These holidays occur after the conclusion of one of the five pillars of Islam,” Brooks said.

Eid al-Fitr occurs after the conclusion of fasting during the month of Ramadan. Once Ramadan concludes, after 29 to 30 days of fasting from sunrise to sunset with no water or food until evening, “we have our holiday,” Brooks said. “Our second holiday occurs after the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, or the Hajj.”

What’s special, he said, is that the holidays always occur after the completion of a significant act of worship.

After the prayer, there was a sermon and activities for the congregation, including bounce houses, painting and sporting events at Green Tree Sports Complex.

Abdul-Wahhaab Brooks, 17, the youth coordinator, helped organize many sporting activities for the younger kids. In the background, cheers erupted as points were scored. Later in the evening, they had dinner at the mosque.

As Muslims, there is no drinking of alcohol — none of those things are part of the celebration, just wholesome family fun, Brooks said.

Similar to Brooks, Benjamin Aysan, community outreach coordinator of the Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh, also celebrated Eid outdoors, at Cecil Township Park in Washington County.

During Ramadan, the Turkish Cultural Center hosted a community Iftar dinner with Mayor Ed Gainey as the keynote speaker. Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan. The theme of the Iftar dinner was community solidarity.

“Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, this month is not just a fasting month, it is a self-caring month,” Aysan said. “It’s about caring, sharing, and the charity month. This month is so important for Muslims. We hope that people feel the spirit of Ramadan and strengthen bonds.”

Carey Harris, the chief executive officer of Literacy Pittsburgh, attends the community Iftar dinner every year.

While Harris is not Muslim, she said, “We find our friends at the Turkish Cultural Center to be some of the most gracious people. The dinner is consistent with who we are as an organization. Literacy Pittsburgh has the honor of helping people from all over the world learn English and prepare for citizenship, we value the diversity that is part of this region that makes us better. It is a coming together.”

“Ramadan is a very special time of the year, it only lasts for one month, but we call it a season of goodness,” Brooks said.

Ramadan is considered a lesson in patience, humility and a great act of worship.

“Muslims only fast out of our sincerity to Allah, no one knows if you are really fasting except the Creator, it’s a time of giving, of prayer and reflection,” Brooks said. “We look forward to this every year. It creates a space for empathy in your heart for those who don’t have food and drink or any meal to look forward to in the evening … we know we can break our fast in the evening, it creates a feeling of gratitude.”