Eid 2015 in Review
***guest article writen by Saif Hamdan****
Eid ul-Adha Recap
As Muslims all around the world celebrated Eid ul-Adha in commemoration of the end of Hajj, or pilgrimage, and the devotion of Prophet Abraham, the Muslim Students Association as well as the Malaysian Students Association at Vanderbilt were able to share bits and pieces of their faith and culture at Vanderbilt’s very own Eid ul-Adha celebration this past month. Over the past few years, the Eid celebration has truly become one of the signature events on campus highlighting the religious and cultural diversity within campus and furthering Islamic awareness among students at Vanderbilt. This year the celebration attracted over three hundred students in addition to another hundred guests from the nearby Nashville community. Notable guests, ranging from a number of faculty members at the university to Chancellor Zeppos, all joined students and families as they celebrated the Islamic holiday.
The event started off with a brief recitation of the Quran in Arabic and its translation by two students of MSA and MSAV; the recitation included a few verses explaining the holiday and the tradition behind Hajj all while conveying the true beauty of the Quranic Arabic oration. The recitation was then followed by a short talk from guest speaker, Dr. Jaweed Ansari, who is one of the prominent and leading figures within the Nashville Muslim community. In his talk, Dr. Ansari gave an overview of the true purpose of the holiday and explained the meaning behind all the customs of Hajj and how they serve as a metaphorical enactment of the spiritual struggles Muslims face as they strive to follow the straight path. Immediately after the talk, the event broke for a few minutes to allow all the Muslim attendees to pray Maghreb, one of the five daily prayers. The Muslim guests gathered in one corner as they listened to the Adhan, or Call to Prayer, and then prayed in congregation following the lead of the imam. Guests observed respectfully as hundreds of Muslims bowed and prostrated in unison, truly a sight to behold.
The program then shifted gears to the catered dinner with halal options that ranged from Samosas to Chicken Tikka Masala to Veggie Biryani. At this same time, four interactive booths, one in each corner, opened up for all the guests to participate and learn all about the rich Muslim culture and Eid traditions. These booths included a henna station; an Arabic writing booth where guests could have their names written in Arabic; a photo booth, which included a number of traditional Malaysian garments that guests could try on; and finally a “Eid Around the World” station where guests could learn about how Eid is celebrated in different Islamic countries across the world.
The Eid celebration ended with a musical performance from the Malaysian Sheikh Band as well as a Spoken Word recitation, venerating the significance of the holiday and the beauty behind its tradition. All in all, this year’s Eid ul-Adha celebration was bustling with excitement and joy, as Muslim students at Vanderbilt were able to share the bliss and happiness of the holiday with their classmates.
Saif Hamdan
MSA President