Muslims celebrate Eid this weekend with major street parties in Manchester – but Salford will instead see homes filled with family, presents and lots of food.
“It’s just like Christmas basically,” said 44-year-old taxi driver Aamar Khan.
“We get everyone together and cook big meals – well, my wife does the cooking, she makes a mean roast chicken and lamb curry – and enjoy ourselves.
“I can’t think of any downside to it.
“There won’t be celebrations in the street in Salford like there is in Manchester, we’re focusing on the big party we’re throwing tomorrow for our family.”
The dad-of-one usually has a quiet house with just him, his wife and his 10-year-old son but is expecting up to 50 family members to turn up today and tomorrow for the yearly celebration.
“We’ve got a large family. It’s cousins, uncles, my sister, brother and their kids, you all get together, put your best clothes on and just have a good time.
“It can be an expensive time of year for families. We hand out presents to the children, usually cash gifts of £10 or £20. I’m not expecting anything myself.”
So it really is like Christmas as the kids get the fun and the parents do all the work?
“It’s got bigger in this country as the Asian community has grown,” said Aamar.
“I’m not a particularly religious person but you fast for 30 days from dawn till dusk and then it ends in a massive celebration.”
Eid-al-fitr is a yearly celebration. ‘Sawm’ is one of the five pillars of Islam – to keep your fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Food and drink are not allowed between dawn and sunset, and drinking and smoking are not permitted. Elderly people, pregnant women and children are exempt, however.
Eccles Mosque on Liverpool Road in Eccles
It represents a special time of devotion to the faith, building strong ties with the family and community and donating money to help the poor and needy.
So is it a trying time not eating or drinking anything in the day, with work and kids to worry about?
“It’s not hot enough here to cause any major problems. In the warmer countries it’s much harder.
“If you think about it over in Asia it’s really hot in the mornings and throughout the day and you can easily get dehydrated and hungry.
“I’ll probably avoid Wilmslow Road in Manchester tonight and over the weekend.
“There’s all sorts going on with cars racing in the streets beeping their horns and people out enjoying themselves but we’ll just meet up at the Victoria Park mosque behind the Curry Mile and then go home for the party.”
Eccles Councillor Peter Wheeler added: “I’d like to wish all of the Muslim families in Eccles and Salford a happy Eid.
“The Muslim community in Eccles is a valuable asset and it’s good to see everyone young and old getting together to celebrate.”
