Non Muslims celebrating Eid al Fitr

[Madridinmymemories]

I live in a very diverse area. This year and last I've noticed a huge increase in my white hippie mum mates attending Eid al Fitr (end of the Eid fasting) celebrations. Down the road from us they get big tables out and shut the road off, it looks a great street party!
My issue is that we (Non Muslims) haven't partaken in Ramadan so why should we get to celebrate the feast bit? If we were really into celebrating every cultural occasion then wouldn't we do the fasting bit as well?

I can't think of an equivalent for another faith joining in on our festivities without doing the religious bit first. Most people eat Easter eggs without having given anything up for lent. Most people nowadays just enjoy the present and food bit of Christmas without thinking too much about Jesus being born.
Am I just being grumpy? I think if I was Muslim I would find non Muslims just joining in the feast bit kind of strange.

Isn't that just like so many non Christians celebrating Christmas every year though?

Also, some 'muslims' do not fast yet celebrate Eid.

IME Muslims are very happy to let anyone join in and I know some who celebrate christmas too. They had a 'break my fast' open day at the mosque geared towards non Muslims which went down really well. A non issue IMO.

I can't think of an equivalent for another faith joining in on our festivities without doing the religious bit first. Most people eat Easter eggs without having given anything up for lent. Most people nowadays just enjoy the present and food bit of Christmas without thinking too much about Jesus being born.

Haven't you just named a couple of equivalents there? Many people who don't describe themselves as Christian join in the celebratory parts of Christmas and Easter, but not the religious parts.

If the Muslim participants are happy to welcome non-Muslims to Eid celebrations, why is that a problem?

It's exactly the same as Easter without lent and Christmas without Jesus

We’ve often been invited to Eid by friends, and there was an open invitation to a communal iftar run by the local mosque near where we used to live in London in the spirit of sponsoring community spirit.

We’re off to an Eid celebration later! Lots of our neighbours and friends are Muslim and have invited us so they clearly don’t think it’s an issue.

Surely people all coming together is a positive thing?

My Muslim and Sikh friends all celebrate Easter and Christmas, I don’t see how this is different. I actually think it’s a really positive thing.

Maybe they don't mind. I was just thinking that I would be a bit I don't think it's the same as Christmas as not many people I know go to church at all over
Christmas so it can hardly be classed as a religious holiday anymore.

I am a non denominational celebrator. If you invite me, and there will be food then I am in.

You are over thinking this.

What better ways to break down barriers than by inviting people to join and and learn.

Ah. are u in Bristol by any chance OP?
I’ve seen exactly the same thing as u describe. Big piece on local news about it last week .

1. You don't have to be brown or black to be a muslim. I know lots of English/N. American/European muslims. Some are converts to Islam whilst others are 2nd/3rd generation muslims.

1. Some none muslims are married to muslims so join in the celebrations because of this reason.

1. Most people enjoy a celebration and cake without getting into the heavy theoretical stuff.

I can't think of an equivalent for another faith joining in on our festivities without doing the religious bit first.

You say this, and then....

Most people eat Easter eggs without having given anything up for lent. Most people nowadays just enjoy the present and food bit of Christmas without thinking too much about Jesus being born.

....immediately give these two examples of people joining in with 'our' assuming everyone here is Christian says something interesting religious in origin celebrations without necessarily observing the religious bits.

I would have thought this is a good thing, having people from different backgrounds and faiths coming together to celebrate. Perhaps the 'white hippy mums' are happy for their Muslim friends and want to celebrate with them. Why is this a problem?

If it's a big open community street party I'm not sure I can see the problem, so long as they didn't turn up clutching ham sandwiches and a bottle of wine. Surely it's better for religious communities to share each other's customs, talk to each other and consider these things to be a cultural exchange? That's how you build bridges, have strong communities and foster understanding and appreciation of each other. Segregation leads to people developing funny ideas about each other and, at the extreme end of things, you get Northern Irish style problems.

It would never occur to me to exclude someone from a Christmas event in the village hall because of their faith; I've visited mosques and temples on holiday; Holi is often celebrated by people with no connection to Hinduism.

If friends invited me to their celebrations, I would go. I'd also go to an open-house type event like the one mentioned above. I wouldn't go to an event I wasn't invited to though- and that would go for any religion.

Yes, it’s interfaith understanding and cross- cultural dialogues that are really ruining this country.

@comeongeorge yes I am, near Easton. I love this time of year as there is an excitement in the air, a bit like Christmas. People dashing into houses with food and nice clothes. People stocking up, beeping horns. But it's a celebration I'm on the outside of.

not many people I know go to church at all over
Christmas so it can hardly be classed as a religious holiday anymore.

You can't really make that judgement based only on people you know. For many communities, the spiritual element of Christmas is far and away the most important part.

I think it’s a sign of respect to join in with other culture and festivals etc.

I'm all for it to be honest. What's better than meeting people of different religions and accepting people for who they are, not what we see and hear in the media. If we had one of those street parties I would be down there. There's too much segregation in this world and we need to start coming together as communities regardless of our colour, race and religion.

It's no different than I, a pagan, taking part in Christmas. (reluctantly mind you. I am a bit of a Scrooge.)

@Guadalquivir19 where did I ever say anything about race? I said non Muslims in my post.

The Muslim children and parents at the school where I worked, threw themselves into Christmas celebrations and activities wholeheartedly.

If non Muslims are being invited to join in the Eid celebrations, that's great. Inclusion is what our country needs more of.

I’d love to be invited to an Eid festival. Why shouldn’t we all partake in various cultural celebrations. Breaking down barriers between religions is surely a good thing....