Phoenix AZ ‘Eid Celebration

By Nidah Chatriwala

Phoenix, Ariz. celebrated the end of Ramadan on Tuesday at Phoenix Convention Center, gathering a crowd of approximately 4,000 Muslims.

The celebration of Eid Ul-Fitr began at 9:30 a.m. and the prayers began at the arrival of featured guest speaker Yusuf Estes, who was visiting Phoenix to raise funds for his new program, Guide US TV. 2011 Eid Ul-Fit attracted one of the largest crowds of the decade and security guards were at the entrance checking women and men as they entered the prayer hall as well as observing parking lot activity. Following Eid prayer, Muslims met and greeted each other while many remained seated to listen to the lecture given by Estes. Usually the lectures given at Eid prayers don’t rally up the crowd and people hurry out of the center to escape a traffic jam. However, this time people stayed in and cheered Estes’ entertaining lecture, reminding us about the lessons and practices we acquired during Ramadan to continue to apply them throughout the year. He also made a special announcement regarding his new venture called Guide US TV, which is a 24-hour channel broadcasting Islamic content. The fashion trend observed in Phoenix was traditional wear in colors of sky blues and pinks as well as various shades of greens for women and men wore suits as well as traditional wear. As the lecture ended by Estes, Muslims were encouraged to an amusement park called Castle and Coasters for all to enjoy rides and share food.

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