How Muslims are celebrating the first Eid after restrictions lift

Following three Eid celebrations under social distancing restrictions, Muslims tell Saman Javed how the new freedoms will impact their plans

A family eats together on Eid (Getty Images)

On Tuesday, millions of Muslims in the UK will observe Eid al-Adha. Also known as the festival of sacrifice, or “big Eid” amongst Muslims, it is considered the most important celebration of the Islamic calendar. The festival, which is three days long, is particularly significant because it marks the completion of Hajj, an Islamic pilgrimage that every Muslim must take part in at least once in their lifetime.

Since the pandemic brought in a national lockdown in March 2020, three separate Eid celebrations – Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, twice, and Eid al-Adha, once – have passed under some form of restrictions.

While the UK enjoyed a summer of fairly-relaxed coronavirus restrictions in 2020, cases in Covid-19 hotspots, such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and parts of Yorkshire rocketed. To curb its spread, the government announced new restrictions which came into “immediate effect” on 31 July, the evening Eid al-Adha began.

Under the new rules, those in affected areas were banned from meeting with people outside of their households both indoors and in gardens. It was devastating news for many of the UK’s 3.3 million Muslims, who were forced to cancel plans at the last minute.

At the time, former health secretary Matt Hancock was asked whether the timing of the announcement intended to curtail Eid celebrations, as many of the areas it impacted have some of the biggest Muslim populations in the country. However, he denied the claim, telling the BBC: “No, my heart goes out to the Muslim communities in these areas because I know how important the Eid celebrations are.”

It is not only Islamic celebrations that have been stalled. Last year, Boris Johnson announced a government U-turn that saw much of the south of England forced to cancel their plans to spend Christmas with loved ones, while Hanukkah, the Jewish ‘festival of lights’ was observed while tiered restrictions were in place. That is until now, after all social distancing measures were lifted on Monday.

Imam Sabah Ahmedi, 27, knows all too well how both Christmas and Eid have been impacted, given that his family partakes in both. Ahmedi, who is married to an English convert, spends both festivals with his Christian in-laws. In respect of each other’s beliefs, Ahmedi takes part in their Christmas celebrations, while they take part in Eid.

“We believe it’s important to instil both Muslim and Christian religious sentiments in our two children,” he says. “It’s nice for them to see both sides of the spectrum and see that even though our faiths are different, it’s still nice to have that family time together,” he adds.

One important aspect of both Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr is the morning prayer, which is usually prayed in a congregation at a local mosque. As limits on mixing indoors no longer stand to disrupt Eid prayers, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) says many mosques are welcoming Muslims back at full capacity.

“I think it will be really special. We’ve had three Eids where you wouldn’t be able to pray side by side, so this will be the first Eid where people can do as they want,” Dr Muhammad Wajid Akhtar, assistant secretary-general of the MCB says.

Despite the easing of restrictions across the country, some Muslims are still hesitant about mixing freely with others on Eid. Tashmeen Haque, 26, who got married in a small back garden ceremony in August 2020, plans to spend Eid with her in-laws in the northwest of England for the first time. Manchester and its surrounding areas currently have some of the highest figures of new daily coronavirus cases in the country.

“I’m excited about the freedom from restrictions and the activities we will be able to do, but I am anxious about going to that many people’s houses,” she says, explaining that the couple plans to visit separate family homes of his aunties, uncles and cousins throughout the day. “I haven’t been able to see them during the pandemic and now because the restrictions are lifted, there’s an expectation to go and see everyone and I can’t say no,” she adds.

Recognising that many people are still apprehensive about mixing with non-family members and reading the Eid prayer in a crowded mosque, one local community in Essex is celebrating Eid in a park. Sughra Akhtar, 60, usually likes to host Eid at her home, but has felt uncomfortable about the prospect as her mother, who lives with her, is clinically vulnerable.

Instead, she will be taking her family along to an open-air prayer service at a local park. “After the prayer, we’re all going to enjoy some food there. We are really excited. This way, we are all together and we can have a nice time while also feeling safe,” she says.

Eid al-Adha also honours Prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son when Allah asked him to give up what was most beloved to him. Muslims believe that before the sacrifice could take place, Allah replaced his son with a lamb instead. Since then, it is custom to sacrifice an animal on Eid al-Adha and share the meat in three equal parts; one part is eaten by the family on Eid, another is given to friends, and the third is given to those poorer.

This tradition of sharing and showing kindness to others underpins how Anjuma Miah, 26, and her family plan to celebrate. With no limitation on how many people can mix indoors, Miah’s father, who owns a restaurant, will be hosting a morning brunch with all his employees at her family home. Detailing the planned menu, Miah says they will enjoy a feast of homemade samosas, kebabs, a sweet rice pudding named kheer, and handesh. “Handesh is a traditional Bengali treat that we always make on every eid. It’s made from date molasses, sugar and flour,” Miah explains.

While an End without restrictions brings the freedom to see as many friends and family as possible, for many, it may also be the first Eid without their lost loved ones. As celebrations get underway, Dr Akhtar says it's vital to look for and remember those who may need support or find Eid difficult.

“There’s an extra effort we need to make as a community to reach out to those who may be suffering, whether that’s mentally, economically or spiritually, so that we can help heal together as communities and as a nation,” he says.