Eid al Fitr

Well, I woundered how we would know if the moon sightings had determined the end of Ramadan. I was told to look at the newspaper and if the Arabic date was 1 Shawwal, then that would be a sure sign.

We are withing hearing distance of two mosques in our neighborhood. Prior to Ramadan, their call to prayer was a calming chanting that we heard now and again for 5 minutes throughout the day and night. Then during Ramadan, the volume was turned up and not only was the call to prayer broadcast to the neighborhood but the whole prayer and sermon for about 20 minutes. This was because there was a large crowd outside praying (the mosque was so full). I was reminded of the Christmas mass crush. What was a calming and soothing low chant was now much more loud and disruptive. The 4:30am prayers woke me each morning of Ramadan.

I needn't have worried about how I would know Eid had started. On Friday, at daybreak, both the Imams at the mosques start calling and praying and calling - it went on for over an hour. Even without understanding what they were saying I could hear the sound of celebration in their voices. For Eid al Fitr, the families go to mosque at daybreak for the prayers of thanksgiving that they have been able to observe the fast and then the entire congregation breaks the fast together and they head home for festivities, feasts, and celebration.

And now we are back to our lovely call to prayers each day (at a lower volume). This morning, I didn't even wake up until my alarm went off.