SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – At Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, the community celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim celebration of the end of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast while the sun is out, so the SU Muslim Student Association put on a prayer session with brunch afterward. Syracuse anthropology professor Fethi Keles enjoyed this multicultural affair.
“Here, you know, in the celebration, you have, you know, participants of Muslim backgrounds coming from all over the world,” said Keles. “You see the wonderful diversity in the way they dress, and (how) they greet each other. So, it’s a wonderful coming together, and, you know, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a prime anthropological event, if that makes sense.”
Hundreds of members of the Syracuse Muslim community gathered here to celebrate and pray for Eid al-Fitr, but that hasn’t always been the case. Syracuse sophomore Amaan Mahdi noticed a big uptick in participation from his first year at SU to his second.
“It feels amazing because last year, the MSA actually wasn’t this big, so it was really hard to find a community, especially on a day like Eid, where all it’s about is getting together with family, friends, (and) celebrating like we are right now,” remembered Mahdi. “But this year, the MSA really kicked it up a notch. They put it on social media, they made sure that everyone knows that Eid is coming, and had iftars, which are like feasts after every time you fast, every single night.”
The MSA also hosts prayers every Friday at Hendricks, and its services are not limited to the Muslim community. The organization describes itself on its website as a family that everyone belongs to.
Reporter: Here at Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, the community celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim celebration of the end of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast while the sun is out, so the SU Muslim Student Association put on a prayer session with brunch afterward. Syracuse anthropology professor Fethi Keles enjoyed this multicultural affair.
Fethi Keles: Here, you know, in the celebration, you have, you know, participants of Muslim backgrounds coming from, you know, all over the world. You know, you see the wonderful diversity in the way they dress, and, you know, (how) they greet each other. So it’s a wonderful coming together, and, you know, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a prime anthropological event, if that makes sense.
Reporter: Hundreds of members of the Syracuse Muslim community gathered here to celebrate and pray for Eid al-Fitr, but that hasn’t always been the case. Syracuse sophomore Amaan Mahdi noticed a big uptick in participation from his first year at SU to his second.
Amaan Mahdi: Oh, it feels amazing because last year, the MSA actually wasn’t this big, so it was really hard to kinda find a community, especially on a day like Eid, where all it’s about is getting together with family, friends, (and) celebrating like they are right now. But this year, the MSA really kicked it up a notch. They put it on social media, they made sure that everyone knows that Eid is coming, and had iftars, which are like feasts after every time you fast, every single night.
Reporter: The MSA also hosts prayers every Friday at Hendricks, and its services are not limited to the Muslim community. The organization describes itself on its website as a family that everyone belongs to. Alex Remoll, NCC News.
