Muslim community celebrates Eid |30 July 2014

It was an atmosphere of joy as members of the Muslim community in Seychelles and their friends exchanged the greeting of “Eid Mubarak” which roughly means “happy Eid” or “blessed Eid”.

They were celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

A large congregation of Muslims from the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan mosque in Victoria, Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayid Al Nahyan masjid of Beaufond Lane and friends joined together at the Stad Popiler yesterday morning for Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers, marking the end of Ramadan.

With the tradition of separation of men in front and women and children at the rear, the ceremony started with prayers led by Imam Haamid Falahu Al Ameen from the Maldives. Delivering the sermon, Sheik/ Imam Idris Ahmad Yusuf of the Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayid Al Nahyan masjid called on all Muslims in Seychelles to unite and stay united because Allah is against division among Muslims. He told them to identify and move away from negative influences that might create division among them.

Yesterday’s event was also aimed at bonding the different Muslim groups together as there are two different Muslim groups in Seychelles.

According to Imam Idris, a mosque is being built on Praslin for the Muslim community there and another one will be built in the Baie Lazare district.
 
Muslims start sighting the crescent moon after sunset on the last day of the holy month. As the crescent moon of Eid appears on different dates, at times after sunset, many Muslim communities celebrate Eid on the day the moon appears over the sky above Mecca. The moon sighting also means the beginning of the month of Shawwal, the 10th month of the lunar Islamic calendar.

Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan by fasting from dawn to dusk, self-cleansing and living a stringent lifestyle free from material and spiritual vices including lying, cheating, violence, theft etc.

After the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers, yesterday’s celebrations continued with an Eid fiesta for the families at the Paradis des Enfants where breakfast was served and the children enjoyed themselves on the different games. They also did face painting and henna painting.

Lunch was also provided for the day which ended with a cake-cutting and distribution of party bags to the children.  
There was also an Eid dinner at the Victoria mosque’s compound.
   
Islamic Society of Seychelles president Ibrahim Afif expressed the society’s appreciation and gratitude to President James Michel for his personal greetings to the Muslim community.

He also thanked the government through the National Sports Council’s chief executive Giovanna Rousseau for making available the Stad Popiler for the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers.

It is the first time that such an event is held at Stad Popiler.