Students enjoyed sambousa, kabobs and other dishes at the Eid ul-Adha dinner party.

Muslim Students Association celebrates festival

By: Mohammad Al-Kassim

Posted: 1/15/07

Despite the inclement weather Friday evening, about 70 people showed up for the Eid ul-Adha dinner party at Stack Auditorium in Royall Hall organized by the Muslim Students Association (MSA).

According to Islamic beliefs, Eid ul-Adha - the Festival of Sacrifice - is four days long and begins the day after pilgrims complete Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims worldwide. It is one of two Eid festivals Muslims celebrate.

Eid ul-Adha is celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for God.

Members of MSA decorated the hall with balloons and homemade posters to give a festive feel to the event.

Those present at the gathering reflected on what Islam is about, a religion inclusive to all, according to MSA President Hani El-Halawany.

"This is an attempt to unite Muslim students on campus and bring them together to celebrate Eid," said El-Halawany, senior. "Many of these students are away from their homes and families. This is an opportunity for non-Muslims to learn more about the Islamic faith."

The celebration started with evening prayers. Then, students and guests were invited to eat a dinner catered by Dar Salam restaurant in Kansas City. Dinner was followed by a game of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," which the women won handily.

"You feel that you have a family away from home here," said Komel Choudhary, a senior pre-med student majoring in chemistry.

Choudhary also mentioned the differences between Eid in the United States and in her home country.

"Unlike back home, where you have holidays and get off from school for an entire week, here you have to skip class for that day," she said.

Professor Syed Hasan of the Department of Geosciences spoke about his recent pilgrimage to Mecca. He shared his experiences with everyone, emphasizing the importance of such events in closing the gap of misunderstanding among people of different faiths.

mal-kassim@unews.com