Eid Mubarak! - Camden Fostering

This week (May 2021) Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid, and we would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our Muslim foster carers and children Eid Mubarak!

Foster carers Bashar and Rawshan explain the importance of Eid for Muslims:

Eid Ul Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims all over the world. Eid Ul Fitr also marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during the day for the whole month. The spiritual meaning of Eid Ul Fitr is to thank Allah for the strength to endure the Ramadan fast. Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for all adults who are in good health. This month is also when the Holy Quran was first revealed to prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him).

Eid Ul Fitr is regarded as a time of celebration, with people gathering with their friends and families and with their communities to show gratitude toward God following the previous month of reflection. The Eid Ul Fitr also serves as a great reminder for Muslims to be grateful for what they have, and to share with those who may be less fortunate. As well as giving thanks to Allah, Muslims give an obligatory payment to charity (called Zakat al-Fitr), but this one is a smaller donation compared with the usual 2.5 percent obligatory payment they make of their net income from the past calendar year. All who can are obliged to give this to the poor every year. Such payment of “Zakat” is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Gifts and food are also a big part of the celebrations. Children receives extra pocket money and new clothes are bought for all the all family. Family feasts are arranged with different foods, sweets and drinks. Muslims also visits friends, relatives and neighbours and offer greetings, sweets and foods. The occasion of Eid is a wonderful opportunity for Muslims to appreciate and enjoy each other’s company and pay homage to Allah for all success and happiness.

It is also customary to visit the graves of family members who have passed away to pray for their peace and forgiveness of Allah.

Foster carer Homa explains how she celebrates Eid with her family and foster children:

Eid Mubarak to all Muslim foster parents, foster children and staff!  Although every community has their own traditional way of celebrating, the people of Afghanistan, where I come from, celebrate Eid for three days. Before Eid, parents buy new traditional clothes for their children for them to wear on Eid day.

As a foster parent, I always buy new clothes for my foster child and I try to encourage them to wear his or her traditional clothes, if they have any or if they want to. I explain to my foster child what Eid is and what we do on Eid, because not all children in care celebrate or are aware of Eid, and I think it is a good opportunity to educate children on different cultures.

The day before Eid, we cook nice food and bake cakes and cookies with our foster child and buy lots of sweets, cookies and snacks for Eid day. I give gifts and extra pocket money to my children including my foster child.

When we attend the communal Eid prayer, I give my non-Muslim foster child the choice to stay at home or go with us and watch people praying. If they decide to stay at home, I make sure that myself or one of my children miss the Eid prayers and stay with my foster child.

On Eid, people from local Mosques and community centres as well as small businesses organise a funfair, food stalls, Henna decorating activities and face painting in the park. Therefore, most local residents, Muslim or non-Muslim, come to the funfair with their children and enjoy the day.

During Eid prayer, I wear a scarf and take a prayer mat to the park to pray on. I get changed into my new Eid clothes once I am home. After Eid prayer and having fun in the park and seeing our neighbours and their children, my children, my foster child and I go to my husband and my mum’s cemetery to pay respects. Two years ago, we didn’t go to the cemetery at all because we thought it would be too stressful for my 7-year-old foster child.

After visiting the cemetery, my children, my foster child and I then go to a restaurant of our choice and eat lunch together. We don’t usually go to an Afghan restaurant, as the kids normally want a break from Afghan food! After lunch, we go home and relax.

Last year all Muslims celebrated Eid at home. There were no Eid prayers and no gatherings because of the lockdown. I hope we would be able to attend Eid prayers in the park this year, then celebrate at home together with our families.

Thank you to Camden foster carers Rawshan, Bashar and Homa for sharing their experiences of celebrating Eid.