Updated as of 10:36 a.m. on April 3 to include photo gallery.
Students, faculty and community members of all ages gathered in the McBride Gathering Space of the Numen Lumen Pavilion on April 2 to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Also known as the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is a time of communal prayer, celebration and generosity for Muslims worldwide.
Hosted by the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, Elon Muslim Society and Muslim Life at Elon, the event featured a shared dinner and reflections on the significance of Eid al-Fitr.
Attendees also had the chance to enjoy henna designs and interact with informational materials on the tables, which included facts about Ramadan and discussion questions.
The event began with a reading of the first chapter of the Quran by Imam Shane Atkinson, associate chaplain for Muslim life at Elon University. Atkinson read the passages in Arabic, followed by the English translation.
Multifaith interns Miri Pottebaum and Lauren Bedell, who helped organize the event, shared a presentation about Eid al-Fitr, discussing its core values and more about the Truitt Center’s multifaith internship program.
Following the presentation, speakers shared their thoughts on the significance of Eid al-Fitr and the sense of community it fosters. Among them were Elon Muslim Society president Fatmata Bah, professor of anthropology Mussa Idris and professor of geography Sandy Marshall.
Bah spoke about her personal experiences celebrating Eid and how the holiday brings people together.
"After the whole month of Ramadan, a time of reflection, self-discipline, and good deeds, we come together to greet Eid, enjoy and celebrate with our communities," she said. "The morning is probably one of the most stressful times — your mom is trying to get your outfit looking right, everyone's rushing to get to the mosque on time. But once we get there, we have a good time, we greet one another and also give to those in need, which is known as Zakat al-Fitr."
Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith programming and engagement of the Truitt Center, reflected on how the community embraces religious events.
"This holiday has grown exponentially, and that shows the investment that this community has in multifaith understanding and celebrating all of these different religious festivals," Zaken said. "All of our festivals are a way to learn about things, offer members of that community a chance to celebrate, and a chance for everyone to come together and learn something about someone else. Eid is particularly important because of that and also because of the bridge with the local community."
Attendees, both Muslim and non-Muslim, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to celebrate and learn. Sophomore Ashley Ramirez Martinez wanted to learn more about the culture.
"I'm not Muslim, but I came because I wanted to expand my view of different religions and see the traditions and why they celebrate Eid," Ramirez Martinez said.
Freshman Mariama Jalloh, another attendee, appreciated seeing everyone come together.
"I just love how there's a lot of people here that are not Muslim, like my friends and others who are just interested. I love how open-minded they are," Jalloh said.
Raiyan Khalid, treasurer of the Elon Muslim Society, said the event highlighted the importance of celebrating diversity.
“It shows how different cultures and different religions are being celebrated here at Elon and how we can all take part in it; it doesn't matter what religion you're a part of," Khalid said.
Due to the large turnout of more than 200 guests, the festive dinner was expanded out onto Phi Beta Kappa Commons, allowing more people to participate in the evening of food, connection and activities.
The theme for this year's celebration was family, one of the core values emphasized during Eid al-Fitr.
"We know that sometimes being away from your family during holidays can be difficult, and Eid is a holiday that is very celebrated with people you love," Pottebaum said.
Atkinson emphasized the importance of Eid in strengthening both faith and community.
"With life being so busy, this holiday is one of the main times that you may get to see some of your friends and family that you don't get to see throughout the year," Atkinson said.
For Atkinson, the celebration plays a key role in fostering cultural awareness and inclusivity on campus.
"Part of what we're trying to do on campus is produce global citizens, people that can navigate other people's culture skillfully," Atkinson said. "Food is a beautiful way for people to come together and build relationships with each other."