Eid ul-Adha in Paris

Today is Eid ul-Adha (عيد الأضحى) or Eid-e Qurban in France. Eid ul-Adha is celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah (God). Others celebrate Eid ul-Adha as it marks the end of the Pilgrimage or Hajj for the millions of Muslims who make the trip to Makkah each year.

I went to the Paris Mosque for Eid prayers with Marwan (poor Yannicque was sick). It was drizzling and the mosque was packed with people. I had to pray outside on the terrace, braving the wet floor and cold winds. As I was praying with all the sisters, tears flowed down my cheek, competing with my already wet face. I felt a deep humbleness as I prostrated on the floor. How truly blessed we all are; to be given the opportunity to experience life. As I looked around me, I saw faces of many cultures, but all speak the same language to God.

Alhamdulillah (Praises to Allah) for all the blessings and obstacles that we go through in life. I keep reminding myself to always be thankful. And one of the things I'm thankful for was being able to celebrate Eid across 3 continents. Each celebration may be different but the theme remains the same. We are one big ummah (family) who should learn to love and live peacefully with one another.

Eid Mubarak. I seek forgiveness for all my shortcomings. All perfection belongs to Allah (God). All imperfections are mine solely.