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Muslims in Dundee and Angus mark lockdown Eid with extra effort to help others

YYI helpers on Saturday with hundreds of food packages
YYI helpers on Saturday with hundreds of food packages

Muslims across Dundee and Angus have striven to help each other celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan, despite still being in lockdown.

Eid, the breaking of the fast, is usually marked with festivals and large gatherings but this year families and friends had to use their imagination to create a sense of community.

The fast ended at sunset on Saturday with the sighting of the new moon after 30 straight days without drinking or eating during the day.

The annual Eid in the Park celebrations were scheduled to take place at Lochee Park this weekend in Dundee but have been cancelled.

Eid bags were delivered to 800 children across the city, a joint effort involving local mosques and Yusuf Youth Initiative (YYI).

Faisal Hussein, YYI CEO, said the celebrations were a drastic change from what is usually one of the highlights of the Muslim calendar.

He said: “Since we are in lockdown we wanted to create a sense of community for the children and the families.

“It has been really weird.

“We usually go to the mosque at 8am and meet hundreds of people then have a big breakfast and lots of hugs.

“Later on we visit family and share more food then big families get together for big feasts.

Ghulam Ullah, Sarah El-Farargy, and Aamna Naseem

“This year, everyone is having low key intimate family moments, presents delivered remotely and virtual hugs.

“Eid in the park was scheduled for next weekend. After last year’s success we had people from all over Scotland promising to come to our event. We were expecting it to be the biggest yet.

“That is on the back-burner for now.”

As well as fasting, Muslims are required to refrain from any and all sinful deeds for the period and make time to help others.

It is believed the ritual brings greater understanding of the suffering of others as well as increasing closeness to God.

Mahmud Sarwar Ratho, a trustee of the Scottish Islamic and Cultural Centre on Dura Street in Dundee, said: “Normally people would come to the mosque to pray, hundreds of people, but we are helpless at the moment.

“We can’t do anything like that with the mosque being closed.

“I have been in Dundee for 39 years and I really feel like I am part of the community here, and we are being deprived our community at this time.

“Some of my family came to visit me, staying in the garden, but it’s not the same. I’ve never seen an Eid like this.

“Hopefully things will get to normal soon.”