What’s Your Eid Personality?
Despite growing up in a Muslim household, the antics that occur on Eid still surprise me. The chaos on Eid morning with everyone rushing to not miss out on the salah (prayer), the family disagreement on which mosque to go to, the siblings that decide it’s finally time to let out all the pent up insults (since Shaytan is obviously back) and the countless other annoying yet lovable moments are what makes Eid so full of joy. Looking back at these memories never fails to put a smile on my face. Since this year will be quite different for many of us, why not reminisce on the characters we may not be able to interact with this year?
Before the roast session begins, please bear in mind it will be as hot as your first cup of chai or coffee on the morning of Eid. If you find yourself relating to any of these people, don’t fret. The remedy is simple: all you need to do is apologize to your parents, siblings, significant others, or anyone else who has had to interact with you. Another remedy would be donating to a reputable charity… *cough* Islamic Relief Canada *cough*.
The one who’s always late to Eid prayer
Let me begin by roasting myself. Maybe it’s just me but every Gen-Z and Millennial MuslimTM I know wakes up on Eid with one main task at hand: to get that Insta-banger. Art takes time, beauty sleep is a requirement and mornings are just not my thing. So when you combine the want to dress up and the need to get as much sleep as possible, you get a mess. That’s why you’ll always catch me, and everyone else who relates, scrambling out of bed and barely making it to the car in time. It has become my duty and sole purpose to fulfill this role on Eid and I will happily continue this tradition over Zoom this year. I hope my fellow chronically late peeps will follow suit.
The one who’s yelling at everyone to be on time
To balance things out, of course, is the person who spends their morning yelling at the one making everyone late. This person will allow the stress of the morning to get to them (understandably) and also probably uses a 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner and body wash when they shower because it is humanly impossible to get ready as fast as they do in the morning otherwise. This person will also be standing outside, regardless of the weather, for a good 30 to 60 minutes waiting for everyone to get into the car with their hands held together behind their backs. As soon as everyone is in the car and on their way, we have 15 minutes of world peace.
The post-Eid prayer hugger ( I will miss this the most)
I can’t even roast these people because they make my heart grow three sizes each Eid. You’ve never met this person but they will hug you and every other person (of the same gender!) like you’ve known them your entire life. This random person reminds you how connected we all are through Islam and just how warmhearted our community is. Especially with physical distance measures in place this year, this small act of love has become something we will cherish even more once we can embrace each other again.
The one who only shows up for the food
The person shamelessly makes up for every single missed snack in Ramadan. The smell of fresh knafeh, biryani and manakeesh will shoot them out of bed faster than any adhan (call to prayer) ever could. They will bee-line to the kitchen for a morning snack, followed by a morning buffet, then pre-brunch snack, then brunch, followed by a post-brunch snack. You can’t even blame them, only Shaytan fasts on Eid, so might as well take advantage!
These were just a few of the many people we come across on the day of Eid and with all jokes aside, these characters always make the day more exciting. Eid is a joyful celebration that every Muslim looks forward to, regardless of the little hiccups, and this year will be odd without some of them. Even so, I’m sure the people we are currently living with or virtually meeting with will be making new memories that you’ll be looking back at fondly for the next few years. If one of the people you relate to isn’t in this list then you can find them in the “Who are you on Eid?” filter found on Islamic Relief Canada’s Instagram account and unveil your true Eid personality.
