Photos by Sandra Whitehead
Friends and relatives hug and greet each other after the Eid al-Adha prayer Sunday at the Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center.
Worshippers dressed in their holiday best filled practically every inch of the Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center, 5135 N. Teutonia Ave., Milwaukee, Sunday morning for the Eid al-Adha prayer.
Men placed their individual prayer rugs in rows in the Dawah Center’s parking lot before 8 a.m. Some elders sat in chairs on the front row. Young boys knelt next to their fathers. The morning sun shone on them as they waited patiently to pray.
Children gathered at tables filled with holiday sweets.
More families rushed down the sidewalk.
Women in colorful gowns and hijabs packed into two prayer rooms and the lobby inside the building. Some carried infants. Colorful beads decorated many young girls’ elaborately braided hair. All faced northeast, towards Mecca, the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the city where he began sharing Allah’s message.
Men and boys prayed outside the Milwaukee Islamic Dawah Center Sunday while women, girls and young children filled prayer rooms and the lobby inside the building.
Around 8:15 a.m., a man’s voice came through speakers outside and inside, announcing the Eid al-Adha prayer would begin at 8:30 a.m.
Eid al-Adha is a celebration of obedience to Allah (God) that commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isma’il. It also marks the completion of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage made by millions to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that retraces Ibrahim’s footsteps. Every Muslim with good health and financial ability must make the Hajj once in their lifetime, demonstrating their submission and devotion to Allah.
Women in colorful dresses and hijabs chat together Sunday while waiting for the Eid prayer to begin.
Mohamed Camara of Milwaukee served as the imam.
“This is a great day!” Camara began the khutbah (sermon). “What do we celebrate today? We celebrate Allah. We celebrate His messenger. We celebrate His deen, His religion, and we celebrate because Allah has favored us from amongst His servants to be of those who carry this honor, this treasure and this privilege called Iman (faith) that makes us Muslims and that makes us believers.”
Camara continued to list more gifts from Allah:
- The desire to please God and to please God alone
- Guidance from darkness to light
- The best of mankind, the Prophet Muhammad
- The best of books
- The best of speeches
- Ease with hardship
- To be able to celebrate and enjoy this day
- Being the chosen slaves of Allah
- To be among those who chose to stay committed to Allah
He called on the believers to also celebrate the future gifts they will receive in jannah (heaven), “where they will be served by angels … sitting in the shade on recliners in what you could say is the VIP section.”
Following the khutbah, Camara led a janazah (funeral) prayer for Sister Nazia Abdil of Milwaukee and the younger brother of Dr. Waheed Ahmed of Milwaukee, who died in Pakistan.
When the prayer ended, friends and relatives hugged each other, families posed for photos and many gathered at tables for a reception of sweets.
Children surrounded Mamadee Konneh, who opened a zipper money bag filled with dollar bills. Many Muslims around the world give children money as part of the Eid celebration.
Konneh came to Milwaukee 26 years ago as a refugee from Liberia. He founded the MK Charity Foundation to provide food, school supplies and other necessities to families in his native country.
Haleemah Osho, a Milwaukee Public School teacher from Nigeria, told WMJ, “My favorite thing about the Eid is the sense of celebration and community we feel with everyone together for worship.”
Mamasa Sackor of Milwaukee spoke for her daughter, saying, “When we give money to the kids, that’s what she loves.”
“I like the welcoming we feel at this masjid (mosque),” said Anab Aden of Milwaukee, who noted her family is from Kenya.
“I love the masjid because I am a Muslim,” said Barni Barut of Milwaukee.
“What do I love about the Eid? Everything!” Massa Binity of Milwaukee said.
At the close of the early morning celebration, clouds blew in and big rain drops began to fall, scattering the crowd. While some rushed to their cars, others ducked inside to continue enjoying the fellowship of friends and family.
