4 ways to make this Eid unique

Photo: Madrid, Spain - September 10, 2010: Muslims celebrating Eid in Madrid, Spain. / demidoff / Shutterstock.com

Eid is once again upon us, and most of us are looking forward to the warm, familiar rituals of praying together, visiting family and eating good food. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t shake things up a little. We’ve put together four experiences to make Eid more memorable this year, and each one comes with an amazing place to perform that all-important Eid prayer.

TYRE (SUR), LEBANON

Photo: TYRE, LEBANON - MAY 21, 2017: People on the beach at sunset. / Diego Fiore / Shutterstock.com

Why you should go: Ever spent Eid on the beach? No? Then head for Lebanon, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in the Levant. Local Muslims love nothing better than to head to the coast for the festive Eid period, especially at night, after the visits to family and friends are done. Join them as they relax on golden sands with a picnic or barbecue under the stars, listening to the gentle drift of the sea, stoking the embers of a sheesha. There are many beaches to choose from, but the ones around the ancient port of Tyre come highly recommended, as they lack the Beirut crowds and have a much more local vibe.

Where to perform your Eid prayer: Start your day in Beirut by praying within a little piece of history. The Al-Omari Grand Mosque, named in honour of Caliph Omar, was once a 12th-century Crusader church. It became one of Lebanon’s first mosques when the Fatimids arrived in the 13th century. Still possessing many of the features common to churches, this mosque, like Lebanese culture, is a real coming-together of the country’s two dominant faiths.

FEZ, MOROCCO

Why you should go: Sacrifice, en mass. If you’ve never seen it before, it might look like a kind of mass slaughter is taking place in Morocco’s former capital. Eid al-Adha in Fez, as in so many Moroccan cities, is akin to being in an open-air abattoir. Throughout the morning, you will hear the dull thuds of a thousand blades being brought down by butchers across the city as they hack their way through hundreds of rams and sheep. This is not for the faint-hearted, but don't fret; by midday, all the meat is cooked, some on open-air barbecues, and the smell of lightly spiced, roasting meat replaces the earlier stench of raw flesh. This is then shared by all: friends, family and, of course, travellers. A spectacle like no other, what starts as a gory city-wide killing spree ends in a huge, delicious feast.

Photo: FEZ, MOROCCO - FEBRUARY 27, 2016: Interior of Al Quaraouiyine (or al-Qarawiyyin) Mosque and university in Fez, Morocco. / saiko3p / Shutterstock.com

Where to perform your Eid prayer: Home to the oldest university in the world, Al Quaraouiyine Mosque is a stunning reminder of just how intellectually advanced the Moors once were. It’s the only place a visitor to Fez should be performing their Eid prayer. Get there early though; the Eid crowd is immense.

JAKARTA, INDONESIA

Why you should go: Indonesians, like most people across Indochina, have a real passion for food, and Eid is when the best dishes come out. If you’re a foodie, Lebaran Haji, as Eid al-Adha is known locally, is a great time to be in this Muslim-majority island nation. My personal Lebaran Haji favourites are three dishes that really embody the spirit of Indonesian food, which is a mix of Indian and oriental flavours. Beef Rendang, a melt-in-your-mouth, slow-cooked meat curry, is always served on Eid with the festive favourite Ketupat, creamy steamed rice packages cooked in little parcels that have a subtle coconut sweetness, making it the ideal companion to Rendang’s richer spice base. Top this main course off with the ultimate Eid sweet, Lapis Legit, a colourful layered spice cake. Delicious!

Photo: Jakarta, Indonesia - January 2016: Inside the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta / manjik / Shutterstock.com 

Where to perform your Eid prayer: There’s only one place you should be performing your Eid prayer in Jakarta, and that is the largest mosque in South East Asia. The Istiqlal, which means “liberty”, or “independence”, was opened in February 1978 to celebrate the country’s freedom from Dutch rule. Built at a cost of $12 million and with a capacity of 200,000, this is the ideal place to make local Muslim friends. Who knows, you might even be invited to a local Eid dinner!

GRANADA, SPAIN

Photo: Granada, Spain - October 03, 2013: Alhambra de Granada: General view of The Court of the Lions with its famous white marble fountain / Jose Ignacio Soto / Shutterstock.com

Why you should go: Who wouldn’t want to spend Eid in one of the most stunning Islamic monuments of all time? The Alhambra in Spain is probably the finest surviving example of Andalusian Islamic art and architecture anywhere in the world. Built in the middle of the 14th century, it was here the final Muslim ruler of Spain, Muhammad XII of the Nasrid dynasty, was deposed in 1492 by the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. By then it had become a palatial city with stunning gardens and brimming with indulgent luxury. Wander through the iconic monument and its restored heavenly gardens, wondering at the festivities that would have once been commonplace here during Eid as well as the rest of the year.

Where to perform your Eid prayer: Start your day on the hill opposite to the Alhambra. Here you can perform the Eid prayer amongst Spain’s largest Muslim community in what is the first purpose-built mosque since the Moors were kicked out in the 15th century. The Mezquita de Granada at the Plaza de San Nicolas offers the finest views of the Alhambra anywhere in the city.

(This article is written by Tharik Hussain. Tharik is a freelance British Muslim travel writer, journalist, broadcaster and photographer specialising in the Muslim stories of Europe. Hussain’s first ever radio documentary, America’s Mosques; A Story of Integration, has been declared one of the world’s best radio documentaries for 2016. All his work can be viewed at www.tharikhussain.co.uk)

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