Daughter has Reverted to Islam and wants to celebrate EID - Clueless please help

[Frenchy163]

She’s home from Uni and would like to celebrate EID, (we live in a really white area, the closest authentic restaurant is 40 miles away) I’ve done a google search and there’s so much choice I’m not sure where to begin.

Could anyone help me please, are there some strict No’s as to what I shouldn’t cook (I know about Pork) is there anything that absolutely signifies EID (apologies if that isn’t the right terminology) that I should absolutely make?

If anyone has a little meal plan to share that would be awesome please.

Thanks in advance

Sure if she is a Muslim she will know what to cook etc. Why isn't she helping with this?

Breaking the fast with a couple of dates is traditional.

Most eid celebrations I have been to have Middle Eastern style food, but that’s cultural rather than religious. You can have whatever you want really, just no pork or booze.

If you want to go all out and enjoy cooking, consider something by Ottolenghi, Yasmin Khan or Sabrina Ghaynour. They often have meal plans in the back of the books.

She could cook her special food for the rest of you?

Has she converted recently or has she previously been a Muslim? If she is Uni age, could she not prepare her own meal?
You can find lists of haram food online.

You’d often break your fast with dates, and then often a combination of lamb and rice. Depending on where you are, google the time for sunset.

Of course she could - you could prepare and eat your Christmas dinner on your own, but do you?

Revert is the term used even if you have never been a Muslim before. I think it signifies that you are coming back to Allah, who has always been there for you.

Just for clarity she’s very newly reverted, she had a boyfriend from the Middle East but they’ve split up and I wanted to cook and make it a surprise for her.

@Nospecialcharactersplease , I don't celebrate Christmas.
Thanks re the reverted.

Do you mean reverted or converted?

Lots of curry restaurants are Bengali or Pakistani and therefore halal

Oh I see reverted is a term used

I’d be very concerned if my only just 18 year old converted to a religion because of a boyfriend. This has nothing to do with God and everything to do with pleasing a man.

I believe converted is used if you change religion to Christianity and reverted if choose Islam. As an atheist my knowledge of religion is quite limited.

Revert implies that she was once Muslim, stopped being Muslim, then went back to Islam.

An easy way round the haram/halal food is to have a vegetarian meal.
I'm not a Muslim but have friends who are, and when eating out somewhere that does not serve halal food they will have the vegetarian or vegan option.
Islamic dietary laws - Wikipedia
A Guide for Converting to Islam (learnreligions.com)

I too would be wary of my child adopting a religion to please a man, especially when at an impressionable age.

A point you might want to consider about halal food is that some people do not wish to have it because of religious or other reasons.

As an Athiest I’m no authority on this but I have been told if you’re a non Muslim and then become a Muslim then you’re a revert. Possibly someone with a lot more knowledge could explain.

I think that is the case. When Sinead O'Connor became a Muslim, she talked about reverting.

As an atheist my knowledge of religion is quite limited.
If you are an atheist then why are you enabling a religious (of any variation) celebration?

Ok I’ll put some clarity around it, she’s not 18, she’s nearly 20. She didn’t revert because of a man, this is more to do with where she lives, the majority of her female friends are Muslim so when they were going to the Mosque she was invited by them to go and it resonated with her. She was bought up without religion so hasn’t turned her back on one for another, she’s just found her religion. I’m an Athiest so getting my head around why anyone is religious is a bit beyond me, but I really want to support her.

Just because I don’t believe doesn’t mean I think everyone should be the same. My daughter who I love wants to celebrate Eid, just like my parents want to celebrate Christmas, I’m sharing events which mean something to them isn’t that what you do when you love them?

"reverted" is the term used by Muslims because they believe everyone is born a Muslim. Therefore if you "switch" to Islam later in life you are "reverting" to your original faith.

Just ask her what she wants.
Surely there's no specific meal or food.
The food eaten in Pakistan will be different to food in Malaysia which will be different to food in Morocco etc.
Other than it being Halal food then eat what you want surely.
One of the Mosques in my home town puts on a community BBQ for Eid sometimes (BBQs are better when Eid is in the summer).
The local Facebook group for the same town is currently full of adverts for the pizza places/chinese takeaway/fish and chip shops doing "Ramadan Deals".

I did and she wants the food that can be very easily bought in takeaways and local shops in the place she lives and where I live I’d have to travel 40 miles to get it. So I wanted just a few ideas as to what if anything is synonymous with EID and anything that is a definite No and I’ve had some really helpful answers, thanks to those who replied.

I'd never heard of that before. That seems a terribly arrogant stance, to assert that everyone was born Muslim. Nonsense.

I think it's lovely you're supporting your daughter OP. I would also support mine, although I would also ask them to take it slowly and to remember that religion is a social construct. Your daughter sounds impressionable, I hope she's got some critical thinking skills too. Is she intending on staying in her uni town once graduated?

Hi,

No pork as you said and any meat should be from a halal certified butchers. Nothing with gelatine in - be careful of things like premade jelly and mousse. These are the main things I can think off, will comment if I can think of more. I think the fact you're doing this and trying and being supportive for your daughter will mean the most to her. In my family we will have starters such as samosas, chicken drumsticks, kebabs, and then things like pilau rice, curry and lots of different desserts for eid. Perhaps you might want to decorate a little? You can purchase an eid balloon banner and put up some lights you may have from Christmas. Ultimately, whatever you do, your daughter will appreciate. Hope that helps OP

Can you access halal meat? That's the first question.
Secondly, what food does your daughter like?
Thirdly, is she fasting?