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

Where dies she go to uni?

Thank you 😊

Thank you that’s a very helpful comment 🤦🏻‍♀️

Yes because forcing adults into following your own belief systems has historically worked out wonderfully

OP I have no advice but what you're doing is great and really respectful.
MN might not be the best place to ask because, as you see from this thread, people seem to think that everyone should only believe in what they believe in (or don't believe in).

I'm an atheist but still enable my children to celebrate Xmas by putting up decorations and buying presents. And yes, even cooking something approaching a traditional Xmas dinner.

Is it just me that finds that view very condescending?
I’d never heard that before. Do any other religions share this belief?
I am an atheist for clarity.
Sorry OP as I know it is not the question you asked.

There's no specific Eid food as Muslims come from all over the world and just cook their culture's celebration food. My friend is also an English Muslim and she cooks a roast dinner which is specific to her heritage. I would either cook her favourite foods or cook a roast lunch minus pork. Lots of supermarkets sell halal meat & my local sainsburys do halal roast joints.

Please don't feel you have to eradicate your own heritage now that she's Muslim, you just adapt a few things to fit in with her new lifestyle. Celebrate Eid how you would celebrate Christmas with good food, gifts, love and lots of laughter.

Eid celebrations are similar to Christmas, a gathering of friends & family over lovely food, board games and gifts. This is how I celebrate Eid and I'm looking forward to celebrating it next week with my extended family.

@Frenchy163 Islam isn't a culture or cuisine specific religion- you can eat anything provided the meat (not pork) has been slaughtered according to Islamic principles (non-stunned and Islamic verses recited at the time of slaughter) and there's no alcohol. Muslims can eat fruit, veg and dairy to their hearts content

Re: food. Your mention your daughter wanting to eat the food of friends from their culture- this could be anything. Do you mean Indian food? Middle Eastern? (Muslims come from all over the world so there's no knowing what her Muslim majority friends would eat).

You could stick to a Sunday roast but have sides of couscous, etc. lots of recipes available online.

For halal meat, I've heard good things about the following:

abrahamshalalmeat.com

https://saffronalley.com/collections?gadsource=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwwLOwBhBFEiwAmSEQAX5VHMLO4s5LSqi38cuDzLm2Db0-Nm0ApecWydlmKkXZGoIQ0VzKVxoCI9MQAvDBwE

https://tomhixson.co.uk/collections/halal

To give some context, our Pakistani family will be having breakfast as normal, lunch will starters of samosas/pakoras/kebabs with chutney, chicken biryani, kofta (meatball) curry and some naan and pudding will be shop bought. We're a small family and this food will last us days (I always freeze half in portions for another day when I can't be bothered to cook). Evening will be whatever anyone fancies- either leftovers from lunch or a takeaway.

Try not to stress.

Why are posters hijacking the Op,s thread to.have an argument that has nothing to with what the Op asked? ,start you'd own thread !

Maybe because as an adult the Op understands her daughter is allowed to have beliefs that are different from her own and wants you do something nice for her ?

Your dd will consider herself to have reverted, but since you are an atheist and presumably didn't realise her as a Muslim, from your perspective she has converted.
Unless you now believe she was an Muslim all along, and you are too.

It's nice to cook for her, she won't have entirely changed all her food tastes so you can make things she likes while ensuring it is all halal (so no pork, gelatine, if serving meat you'd need to buy halal meat).

Thanks all for your comments, mostly helpful some maybe a bit off thread but thanks for your opinions anyway!

It’s a thread about Islam. Not really surprising for MN is it? Highly doubt the hijacking would be so prevalent if it was about a convert to Christianity.

OP, different cultures have different ways of celebrating. I’m Arab so we tend to do have one big meal with a variety of dishes. But Asian cuisines are very different to Arab cuisines so it does depend on your daughter’s preference. But as PP pointed out, most important thing is no pork and ensuring the meat is halal.

Desserts are a big thing during Eid - so buy chocolates, baklava, etc.

Re Halal not easily
anything but mainly Middle Eastern
yes

Can you get her to the closest Islamic centre or mosque with female facilities so she can attend Eid prayers and hopefully you’ll find one with a Eid fun day or bazar?

Remember also that its possible some of her Muslim friends will invite her.

Lastly there’s no such things as “Eid food” any more than there’s such a thing as “Christmas food”. What you’ll find is that people of different cultures have different food traditions for their festivals.

So think about what she might consider a bit special eg profiterole tower with shooting sparkler decoration on top, some balloons/an Eid banner.

So a small med buffet maybe, olives, feta various humous, flat bread felafel plus some other bits, all available in supermarket.

Halal is easy to follow, just buy suitable for vegetarians for items like cakes, puddings etc. Just check the labels for alcohol though but it shouldn't be too difficult.

This seems like a nice thing to do, even if you had private concerns about another adults choices preparing a nice special meal to be supportive.

There aren't really universal traditional Eid foods. As others have said it varies by cultures, don't pages it's all bbq meats, others extravagant rice dishes etc.

So feel free to go with things she likes.
A nice cake with Happy Eid iced on? Baklava?

Rice recipe (not spicy) https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/the-ottolenghi-test-kitchens-celebration-rice/

Spicy rice recipes
https://www.mylankanfoodjournal.com/mutton-eid-biryani/

https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/16906329-eid-special-chicken-biryani

Irrespective of the issue over why her daughter became a Muslim, is it really that hard to consider that people do nice things for people they love? If my friend came to me over Hannukah, I'd want to do something appropriate for her but is also have to Google or ask for anything beyond "no pork". Same for my friends who are Sikh.

If you can't find halal meat, assuming she's a meat eater, then would a roast salmon or seafood dish would be acceptable? I know some people aren't keen on fish but if she is then that's an easier alternative.

Firstly I think it's great what your doing for your daughter. İgnore the negative comments. İf your daughter decides to stay on that path or not. She will remember how you loved her unconditionally and that will forever stay with her. Many reverts to Islam can't say there parents did that for them. İslamic traditions are practiced differently in all countries, so food is all different too. Most people have dates to end a fast, you can buy Eid decorations online that some people like to decorate there homes with and theres normally sweets around the house and a nice desert of some kind.

Just incase you did want to buy halal meat as you said not easy locally:

https://saffronalley.com/collections/ramadan-offers?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=Ramadan%20Items%20Eid%20Tue%20am&_kx=c-NM2VQzPSQbNjRFylKlXVh8nOZJ4Z1JIS_xHc60dfc.V8nncK