“Bittersweet Eid”: Australian Muslims celebrate while fearing for loved ones in Gulf

SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) — For Minal Tanvir and her sister in Western Sydney, the morning of Eid, a major Islamic celebration, starts with their father’s hug, the excitement of receiving “Eidie”, a gift of cash, from their father, and an “Eid Mubarak to Mama and Daddy”.

Thursday and Friday marked Eid al-Fitr, which occurs at the end of Ramadan, a month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and is celebrated over three days, reports SBS News.

Over 800,000 Muslims in Australia, including Tanvil, a second-generation Australian Pakistani and her sister, celebrated this day in their own ways.

“It’s really weird because you’ve gone a month fasting and you think that you’re also fasting on this day. And it feels weird to eat,” the 24-year-old told SBS News.

“Eating that morning feels very different, but it’s nice … Usually it’ll be a really nice curry with fresh nan. And then we move on to Eid’s prayer, at our local mosque, that one is nice to do as a family, to see other Muslims in the community, to see the little kids.”

‘Anxious’

But for many Muslims around the world, this Eid feels different, as the Middle East, which is home to 20% of Muslims, is under the shadow of a war which started on 28 February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The war has reached various areas in the region, with Iran launching strikes at other countries in the region.

Bilal El-Hayek, the mayor of the City of Canterbury Bankstown, the most concentrated Muslim population in the country, said that while Eid is a “wonderful day”, the war has made it “challenging” for the community.

“It’s been a tough time. People are feeling very tired, people are feeling very anxious, people are worried for their family and loved ones overseas as well,” he told SBS News.

“We pray for peace in the Middle East.”

‘A message of peace and love’

Gamel Kheir, secretary of the Lebanese Muslim Association, said Eid is now relevant “more than ever” as “it sends a message of peace and love to the world, which is needed.”

“Eid is a time for celebrating humanity and getting together. Sadly, we’re facing an atrocity happening in our homelands. If ever there was a time when community bonds were needed, it is times like Easter, Eid and Christmas,” he told SBS News.

“These are times where we should all be celebrating together as a society.

“You can’t celebrate rightfully while your brothers and sisters are facing an atrocity now in Lebanon.”

Israel’s army forces have stated that they are focusing on Hezbollah facilities, describing the ground operation they have initiated in Lebanon as a defensive measure aimed at safeguarding northern Israel from Hezbollah aggression.

Kheir also asked the Australian government to take action, saying the country “has an obligation under human rights and international law to step in and ensure the safety of all our brothers and sisters in the Middle East”.

On Saturday, the Labor government announced it will allocate an extra $5 million for lifesaving aid to civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable populations, especially women and children.

The humanitarian assistance will be delivered by the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund, and it brings Australia’s humanitarian assistance for civilians affected by the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon to over $135 million since October 2023.