BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As Muslims across the world celebrate the festival of Eid, hundreds of people here in our community are gearing up for the festivities.
“You can say Eid Mubarak or Happy Eid.”
Eid is one of the most significant festivals in Islamic culture, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
“At the end of the month, we celebrate as we end one of the greatest worships, which is one of the pillars of Islam,” said Imam Abdul Mushen Alshayef.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast without food and water for the month, and use the days to reflect on their lives and reset.
Local Muslim leaders in Bakersfield say the importance of Eid is being able to use this day to celebrate the progress they made and use those lessons through the rest of the year.
“It means that we need to set ourselves up for success. We use the month of Ramadan to kind of have that discipline, to have that kind of reset, to go back to the true, authentic values of our religion, for overall being a better person,” said local Islamic leader Mohammad Arman.
Arman said the festival personally means a lot to him because he enjoys seeing his family and the larger community gather to mark the occasion together.
“[We] celebrate the breaking of the fast, or Eid-al-Fitr, which is what this name implies. It’s very significant to me and to my family, because the children will get to play, and they will get to have gifts, and we’ll have money and it’s very significant. It’s having the time of the holiday for Muslims and being able to celebrate it is very significant.”
One way that people also celebrate is by getting henna or mehendi in places like Blush Beauty.
The exact day of the festival depends on when we can see the crescent moon, which will likely be on Sunday or Monday.
Arman said hundreds of people are expected to gather at the Islamic Community Center off Jewetta Avenue for Eid prayers.
Arman said that he hopes to help educate the community and invites people to celebrate with them.
“We are part of you, and you’re part of us. Feel free to join us in [celebrating] our Eid. If you know any Muslim friends, or family that you have, greet them with for Eid, celebrate it with them. Try to understand where it all came from and really just know that our religion is a religion of peace.”
