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.

Many Muslims don’t fast, some for medical reasons but they still celebrate Eid.

I think this is a positive inclusive thing and it would make me happy if I witnessed it. It is the same as celebrating Easter without Lent.

Surely breaking bread together is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) ways of people coming together?

I cannot be convinced that people getting together to celebrate each other's cultures is a bad thing. I keep turning it around in my mind and I just can't see a downside.

Would you prefer that people just stay in their lanes OP? Have a think about what that looks like.

Lighten up, brighten up and join in. Faith alone does not define people.

I don't get the problem

you are talking about people who have been invited to join parties? I live in London, have done all my life. The neighbours give Eid gifts, Passover food - I think I had something for Iranian New Year.

if people are starting parties for no reason, then claiming it's for xyz, I could see the problem - but OP, I interpret your post as "why are non Muslims going to these parties". If the answer is "their friends invited them" then it's all good, surely?

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

I haven't RTFT, but this was exactly my first thought too!
People make me "laugh."
Can't bloody win. If "they" don't integrate, they get moaned at for being insular or keeping themselves to themselves or whatever.
Invite everyone to be with them, mix, and be generally pleasant and lovely and have a party, "they still get moaned at lol. (For what, FFS?!)
I'm from a very white, non Muslim area, but if there was ever anything like joining for an Iftar feast street party here I'd love to attend!
Just because I love learning about other cultures, religions, ways of life etc.
If everyone did this, learned about each other, and got along with each other instead of just side eyeing each other with suspicion, all the better in my opinion!

IME Muslims are very happy to let anyone join in and I know some who celebrate christmas too

That's just reminded me of someone I used to work with, she was Muslim, and used to hand out Christmas cards even though she didn't celebrate it herself.
She was lovely

We were in a Tunisian hotel a few years ago at the end of Ramadan and the staff went out of their way to include us in their celebrations if we wished, I thought it was very kind of them. Vive le difference!

Jings.... Are you actually offended by white people going to concerts of black performers, really? Do you suggest segregation so to avoid such things. Please please read your post aloud.

None of the muslims I know "do" Christmas the kids go to nursery/school parties but that is it which is fair enough I imagine the people joining in Eid parties are doing the same thing just enjoying the party and there is nothing wrong with that imo.

Every time a person, especially a child, gets together with other religions, cultures and races and gets to know them, the number of future racists drops imho. And that is a good thing.

Fear is a weapon of mass destruction.
And people fear what (and who) they don't know.

Mrs Jayy, there are many different 'groups' of Muslims, they all have different emphases. A lot do 'do' Christmas, not in the religious sense but exchange gifts and have Christmas trees and decorations.

TheAverageJuror, excellent post with which I agree wholeheartedly.

If you are part of a particular faith then it follows you would celebrate its festivals.

I'm a Christian so I celebrate the festivals in the Christian calendar. I couldn't care less about another religions festivals.

If however like many these days, with little or no particular faith, then what difference does it make which celebration you get stuck into. Good excuse for a party or day off hey?

Many people these days are celebrating Santa or the 25th of December rather than Christmas itself. But to say so makes you sound a bit of a plumb so you get the old "Christians don't own Christmas" brigade!

Do what you fancy really.

I can’t imagine having a Christmas party and only inviting practising Christians. Even worse having a party and excluding our Humanist, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim friends.

I can’t imagine having a Christmas party and only inviting practising Christians.

Where I grew up, part of the street (our part) did not have a street party for the queens silver jubilee because "too many indians" lived there. That was what the Conservative councillor for the ward said in a council meeting. So we didn't. This was Harrow 1977.

So I can imagine it. My DM went to the council meeting with a lot of our neighbours, but the decision stood.

Well if any of you are near Westfield shopping centre in Shepherds Bush this weekend then there's a big Eid food festival going on. Come along and grab a samosa & say up yours to the whingers!

www.londoneid.com/

Many holidays are shifting from religious to cultural celebrations. I personally think this is a good thing because I believe blending and merging cultures will lead to less divisiveness and a better society in the long run. Other people believe this is cultural appropriation or domination. I can see both sides of the argument, but the I hope unity wins out.

Myself and a colleague organised a community iftar at work. She is muslim I am not. Should I have said no I'm not doing that? Of course not? Should we have banned anyone not muslim attending? That would have been ridiculous, was a learning experience for non-muslims and a community event to blend together all people and celebrate. It was a bloody brilliant evening and over 350 people attended from ALL backgrounds. Fuck this exclusionary attitude.

My primary school was brilliantly diverse, and every year (when it fell in term time) we would have an Eid party. Everyone bought in food from home and wore snazzy clothes. This was a C of E primary school with children from all religious backgrounds (including none). I remember being particularly envious of the Indian girls' beautiful saris.

I think being included in the celebrations makes people more likely to try and understand the religion and culture. And that's always a good thing.

Eid is a really happy time, and I have very close friends who celebrate it yearly (Muslim). They also partake in Christmas and Easter as they have children in a school with a lot of other children from different countries, religions etc. Me & my daughters are always invited for treats which they love, and we buy each other Christmas presents too!
I remember a few years ago I was just literally walking down the road with my then ex, we walked past a house where there was clearly a large party going on, and we were asked if we would like to come in and celebrate Eid with them. They said there is lots of treats, cakes etc, we can help ourself and just leave if we wish. We did pop in as it was just round the corner from my ex’s, and everybody was so lovely and welcoming. We ended up staying and chatting about 2 hours, just soaking up the atmosphere and more random people popped by too.

Our local mosque regularly speak with local schools and invite them to come in and look about, and I think it’s brilliant.
We live in such a diverse world now I think it’s really important to know about different religions, cultures, and where possible view it with your own eyes.

Half my friends and neighbours are celebrating today and half did yesterday. My immediate neighbours know very well we are not Muslim but because they are lovely people they brought us some of their feast round yesterday. DS1 will come home loaded down with sweets later as most of his friends are celebrating today. I love being included the way we always are. I'm not a Christian but I love Christmas, I don't see any issue with also enjoying Eid.

I think it sounds wonderful to celebrate along with others relgious celebrations.
Another party whats not to love.

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

^^

This.

Or Christmas without advent, which was traditionally a time of fasting not office parties and decorations in the shops from September (nb i don't mind these things but just saying!)

Why the rush to criticise "white hippie Mums ". When have hippie Mums been responsible for all the world's ills. I'm not one but they are a fairly harmless bunch!

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

Not wishing to offend anyone, but I can't help but feel that could be set to music - specifically Alannis Morrisette's "Ironic" ?

Ha I knew as soon as I opened this thread it would be about Bristol! My sister is one of those white hippy mums 😂 to be fair though, and give context- she was invited by her Muslim neighbours, she actually lives in Easton isn't coming from middle class Clifton and in all the photos I've seen I'd say it was a very diverse range of races there, not at all white middle class hippies taking over! It's sad though, she and my Dnephews had such a wonderful time, shame she was being judged by others....

DearSergio
That's my feeling. If someone has invited a range of people to celebrate Eid then that's great. Communities coming together and developing an appreciation of each other's traditions is brilliant.

If it's a few hippie types wanting to appropriate a festival to gain woke credentials then it's not appropriate.

On the whole, see the positives though.