You may be away from home, but there’s no reason to not celebrate Eid al-Fitr while you’re studying abroad in the US. Celebrated on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calender, this will mark the end of your month-long fast of Ramadan.
Running up to Eid, there are loads of things you can do. Hang up twinkly lights in your dorm, decorate your house, inform non-Muslim friends that they can pop by on the day to indulge in their sweet-tooth or gather close Muslim friends and bake lovely cookies together. All these will make sure that you still stick to traditions despite being far away from home and family.
To mark the beginning of Eid, wake up early in the morning and pray Salat ul-Fajr, or the pre-dawn prayer. After brushing your teeth, take a bath, wear some perfume, have a hearty breakfast and head off to perform special congregational prayers. Many Muslims recite the takbir, and it’s always good to give special charitable contributions on this day.
After that, gather with your friends and enjoy the company of each other. Call your family back home so that you won’t feel left out from the celebrations.
There may be some celebrations organized by the Muslim community. Check Time Out or your university to see if there are any events going on.
Note: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variaton of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.
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