Eid Mubarak!

How do you describe Eid to those who aren’t familiar with this religious holiday?

Eid is a very special time for Muslims. It comes twice a year, at the end of the Month of Ramadan, and at the end of the (Lunar) year. Eid is like Christmas Day and Thanksgiving all rolled into one; all the excitement, family, gift-giving, and food for three days in a row! 

Ramadan Eid is widely celebrated and can be as much of a cultural celebration as it is a religious celebration. Muslim/Muslim majority countries issue public holidays for the three days of Eid and in Dubai, there are often shopping festivals or city-wide celebrations in the days leading up to it, as well as the days themselves. 

It is a time when kindness, charity, and family are emphasized. Not to mention a time when lots of coffee and food are consumed! 

What are your plans for Eid this year? 

In the past, my family and I would go to the mosque in the mornings for Eid prayers, then spend all day at various large family gatherings - sometimes we'd even have staycations with one another. This year I’m just hoping to see some of my family — my aunts, uncles and cousins — all in the same house, and maybe visit a few great aunts and uncles over the days. 

COVID-19 has greatly affected the way that families celebrate Eid, but it is definitely getting better with more and more people vaccinated in the UAE. 

What does this holiday mean to you?

Eid is an especially happy time for me. I often tell my family that “nothing bad should happen on these days” and work super hard to make sure everything runs smoothly, and everyone is having a good time. 

To me, Eid is a celebration of being a Muslim. At the end of one of the toughest months of the year, and at the end of the year, we have reason to celebrate our lives, our families, and our beliefs. 

Do you have a favourite Eid tradition?

My favourite Eid tradition is the concept of Eidi. It is the act of adults in the family giving sums of money to all the kids and young adults of the family in celebration. Sums vary according to your age and family relation, but some form of Eidi is always guaranteed! 

I have fond memories of collecting and pooling the money with my personal savings as a kid to buy something I wanted. I remember the sense of pride I felt at knowing I had done it all on my own. 

What’s your favourite Eid dish? 

My family is half Emirati and half Pakistani, so we alternate and fuse the two cuisines together. 

Traditionally, we have rice dishes with Laham (goat), often Machboos or Mandi with Kheer (rice pudding) for dessert, and lots of Karak (strong milk tea) all day. 

My favourite way to make Karak is to boil a few cups of black tea on the stove for 5 minutes, then to add sugar, warm milk, and a pinch of saffron to taste. Boil for 2 more minutes and you have a strong cup of Karak tea to enjoy to yourself, or share with friends and family! 

What do you wish others knew about this holiday?

I wish that others knew about the history and significance of the celebrations. There is so much meaning behind every part of what we do on this day, from the menu to the charity to the intentions. Also, whether a person participates in Ramadan or not, they are always welcome to join the festivities. The more, the merrier! 

Has the pandemic impacted how you will celebrate this year? If so, how?

Unfortunately, the pandemic has affected how much we are able to see our families. So much of Eid is centered around family and food sharing that it feels alien to not be able to see them all at the same time. But of course, we all need to stay safe this Eid and remain socially distanced and careful when celebrating! :) 

As a student you were quite involved with the Toronto Metropolitan University Muslim Student Association (RMSA) — can you share something about that experience with us?

I got involved in the RMSA in my second year thanks to a close friend who was on the team and thought I would be a good fit. As someone who does not dress or look like a traditional Muslim (I often wear a turban in place of a traditional headscarf), I was hesitant but also wanted to round out my student experience by getting involved on campus. 

Joining the RMSA turned out to be one of the best things I ever did. It exposed me to a whole community of Muslims that I never would’ve met otherwise and it opened the door to opportunities for self-development and even professional development. I grew from a Marketing Associate to co-MC of the inaugural Muslim Student Empowerment conference and co-VP of Marketing in my last year with the RMSA. 

Meeting up and discussing hot topics in the community with the RMSA team and planning and hosting events was a chance to lean into the religion and culture around the Muslim community. It exposed me to various schools of thought and allowed me to learn more about the community in an organic way. 

Can you tell us something about celebrating Eid in Toronto while you were a student and away from where you grew up? What was that like? 

I was super lucky, in that I had family in Toronto, so I was never alone in Ramadan, nor on Eid. 

Being away from Dubai was definitely hard, as the fast is longer in Toronto due to the longer days in the summers when Ramadan occurred. I was also away from a place that fully embraced Eid/Ramadan as a lifestyle change. In Dubai, work and school are closed due to public holidays, traffic is decreased in the day, and everyone seems to be in a common state of ‘food coma’. 

Continuing life as normal in Toronto on Eid Day was a culture shock, but one that was made easier by the diverse and welcoming mindset of the people and the city. 

I have special memories with my family in Markham and Toronto of running to a Starbucks after Iftar every night at 9 p.m. to try and get a coffee before they closed - sometimes not making it in time. Those nights joking about the caffeine withdrawal (when in actuality all we wanted was said caffeine) are memories that will always bring a smile to my face.

What are your plans for Eid this year?  

Eid is based on gathering with family and loved ones, sharing food, wearing new clothes, praying the morning Eid prayers in the mosque, but due to the pandemic we will be celebrating within our household, decorating our home, baking cookies, giving Eid gifts to our family, friends, and neighbors to brighten their day.

What does this holiday mean to you?

The easiest way to explain how Eid feels to me is saying that it's like Christmas but for Muslims, the most wonderful time of the year️.

Do you have a favourite Eid tradition?

Wearing a new outfit! As a kid I used to prepare my new outfit from the night before, I would like to keep this tradition with my kids, as well as baking a variety of delicious cookies!

If you were back on MasterChef Canada and challenged to cook a traditional Eid dish — what would you choose and why? 

I would make a deconstructed Fatta dish! I would love to take the judges on a ride to the Eid spirit.

Fatta is usually eaten on the first day of Eid. The bottom layer is made from oven fried pita bread mixed with butter and cut into small squares, followed by a layer of cardamom flavoured white rice, and topped with the most delicious garlic vinegar tomato sauce and tender fall-off-the-bone beef shanks. 

What do you wish others knew about this holiday?

It brings hope to those struggling and revives the community's feelings for each other.

What is the spirit of Eid?

It's the giving spirit, the sharing spirit, and fulfilling the needs of those who are less fortunate! After fasting for 30 days, your heart softens, and it humbles you, which encourages you to give more to the less fortunate.

Have you had to change the way you celebrate because of the pandemic? If so, how?

Absolutely, it's completely different than the Eid we are used to, but giving little cute baskets to our loved ones gives us some closure, and it made us realize how fortunate we are to have a roof above our heads, feeling safe and loved.

What did you learn about yourself from the experience on MasterChef Canada?

I learned the value of connecting to communities outside my circle. I learned that I was suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety. I got the help I needed, which helped me be more creative and enthusiastic about my career transition, and contribute more to my community and country. I learned to be kind to myself, and take little steps towards my goal.