A City Heights Muslim woman prepares to create a henna design on the hands of a close family member on July 28, 2014. In preparation for Eid al-Fitr, women clean and decorate their homes with vibrant colors and adorn their hands and feet with henna designs. | Photo Credit: Binti Musa, The AjA Project
City Heights Muslims gathered in Little Mogadishu Monday to break 30 days of fasting for Ramadan, the Islamic holy month during which worshippers don’t eat or drink from sunup to sundown and reflect on their faith and community. The celebration marking the close of Ramadan is called the Eid al-Fitr and runs through Tuesday. Muslims come together for prayer, traditional meals and gifts at mosques and other gathering points throughout the county, including Qualcomm Stadium. Estimates for the number of Muslims in the county vary from 22,000 to more than 140,000.
Featured photo’s from Monday’s festivities in City Heights were taken by youth photographers who participate in The AjA Project, including one who let us into her own family’s celebration.
Members of the Somali Bantu community in City Heights join together on July 28, 2014 for Eid al-Fitr festivities. Eid al-Fitr, translating to “the feast to break the fast,” marks the finale of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month during which Muslims fast and pray to reach a higher spiritual state. | Photo Credit: Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project
A City Heights Muslim prepares sambusas, a small triangle-shaped pastry stuffed with meat or vegetables, on July 28, 2014. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast daily from sunrise to sunset to show thanks and appreciation for what one has. Each night when the fast is broken, women prepare a variety of foods to share with their families, including sambusas. | Photo Credit: Binti Musa, The AjA Project
Local Muslim youth walk from the Salat, or prayer, at a City Heights mosque to their relatives’ homes, where they receive money and food, on July 28, 2014. During Ramadan, families give gifts and are encouraged to donate money to the less fortunate as a way of giving thanks for one’s own successes. | Photo Credit: Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project
Near 50th Street in City Heights, Somali Bantu women and children celebrate Eid al-Fitr and dance to cultural folk music playing from their car on July 28, 2014. During Eid, Somali Bantu women wear traditional African dresses. In their native tongue, Kizigua, the women call these dresses “bati” or “seethe.” | Photo by Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project
The patriarch of a local Muslim family spends time with his granddaughter during Eid al-Fitr festivities July 28, 2014. During the the celebration, which occurs at the end of Ramadan, Muslim men often wear new white clothes and a kufi cap and give money to young children in the family. | Photo Credit: Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project
A young Muslim girl learns about the tradition of Eid al-Fitr at the Somali Bantu Association of America office in City Heights July 28, 2014. | Photo Credit: Beto Soto, The AjA Project
City Heights resident Gediya, 7, performs Dua, a call to God for help, mercy and forgiveness on July 28, 2014 during one of the five daily prayers of Ramadan. Her cupped hands represent a plea of hope, praise and thanks. The five prayers are called Salat al-Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghhrib and Isha. The early morning prayer, Salat al-Fajr, marks the beginning of fasting for the day and Maghhrib breaks the day’s fast. | Photo Credit: Kiran Mehta, The AjA Project