Kurdistan celebrates Eid Friday
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Along with the majority of the Muslim world Iraq’s Kurdistan Region will celebrate the Eid al-Fitr feast on Friday, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, religious authorities announced.
Late Thursday, shortly after they announced the sighting of the new moon that marks the end of Ramadan on the lunar Islamic calendar, Kurdish President Masoud Barzani sent Eid greetings for Muslims worldwide.
His message especially remembered the families of Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers who have lost loved ones in the war with the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
“I send my warmest greetings to our brave Peshmerga forces in the frontlines who risk their lives to protect this land and who give us hope for the future,” Barzani said in a written message.
In Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, people welcomed the feast.
“I already finished all my Eid shopping last week and tonight I am out with my family, helping them to stock up on foods for the holidays,” said Muhammad Fateh, a 22-year-old enjoying the night before the feast in downtown Erbil.
Late into the evening shops, shopping malls and teahouses were crowded with people preparing for one of the two biggest Muslim holidays of the year.
This year, the Eid holidays come in the shadow of a war with ISIS that began after the militants pushed dangerously close to Erbil a year ago next month.
The Kurdish economy, which had been flourishing in what was the only peaceful portion of Iraq, has taken a hit from a financial dispute with Baghdad, a tsunami of some 2 million refugees and displaced from Syria and the rest of Iraq that have sought refuge in Kurdistan and precious resources having to go to the war.
Merchants said the economy had picked up during Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and evenings are reserved for outings, shopping or family gatherings.
“The market was pretty much improving in Ramadan. We were working until midnight; we will be open tonight as well,” said Rahim Ali, the owner of a clothing shop in Erbil who spoke to Rudaw.
In most Muslim country, and in the Kurdistan region, Eid will be celebrated for three days.
Celebrations are dampened however by the well over 1,000 Peshmerga killed in the war with ISIS or brutally executed by the religious fanatics, and some 5,000 wounded.
While it is customary for women to wear bright clothes and for friends and relatives to visit each other, after Eid was announced on Thursday some bereaved Kurds called on potential guests not to visit.
“Sorry all, as a sympathy to the family of martyrs we will not celebrate Eid tomorrow, please don’t visit us,” Kamal Muhammad said on his Facebook page. “We are still mourning the death of our sons.”
Ali, another Facebook user, said that everyone should celebrate Eid.
“I encourage everyone to celebrate Eid, because I am sure the souls of our martyrs want to see a happy Kurdistan,” he said in a post.
Baran, a young Kurdish girl who spoke to Rudaw, said that refusing to celebrate Eid was to give in to ISIS.
“Avoiding happiness is what ISIS terrorists want from us,” she said. “We should never let this happen. Life goes on. What is the point of turning Kurdistan into one big tomb.”
Late Thursday, shortly after they announced the sighting of the new moon that marks the end of Ramadan on the lunar Islamic calendar, Kurdish President Masoud Barzani sent Eid greetings for Muslims worldwide.
His message especially remembered the families of Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers who have lost loved ones in the war with the Islamic State (ISIS) group.
“I send my warmest greetings to our brave Peshmerga forces in the frontlines who risk their lives to protect this land and who give us hope for the future,” Barzani said in a written message.
In Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, people welcomed the feast.
“I already finished all my Eid shopping last week and tonight I am out with my family, helping them to stock up on foods for the holidays,” said Muhammad Fateh, a 22-year-old enjoying the night before the feast in downtown Erbil.
Late into the evening shops, shopping malls and teahouses were crowded with people preparing for one of the two biggest Muslim holidays of the year.
This year, the Eid holidays come in the shadow of a war with ISIS that began after the militants pushed dangerously close to Erbil a year ago next month.
The Kurdish economy, which had been flourishing in what was the only peaceful portion of Iraq, has taken a hit from a financial dispute with Baghdad, a tsunami of some 2 million refugees and displaced from Syria and the rest of Iraq that have sought refuge in Kurdistan and precious resources having to go to the war.
Merchants said the economy had picked up during Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and evenings are reserved for outings, shopping or family gatherings.
“The market was pretty much improving in Ramadan. We were working until midnight; we will be open tonight as well,” said Rahim Ali, the owner of a clothing shop in Erbil who spoke to Rudaw.
In most Muslim country, and in the Kurdistan region, Eid will be celebrated for three days.
Celebrations are dampened however by the well over 1,000 Peshmerga killed in the war with ISIS or brutally executed by the religious fanatics, and some 5,000 wounded.
While it is customary for women to wear bright clothes and for friends and relatives to visit each other, after Eid was announced on Thursday some bereaved Kurds called on potential guests not to visit.
“Sorry all, as a sympathy to the family of martyrs we will not celebrate Eid tomorrow, please don’t visit us,” Kamal Muhammad said on his Facebook page. “We are still mourning the death of our sons.”
Ali, another Facebook user, said that everyone should celebrate Eid.
“I encourage everyone to celebrate Eid, because I am sure the souls of our martyrs want to see a happy Kurdistan,” he said in a post.
Baran, a young Kurdish girl who spoke to Rudaw, said that refusing to celebrate Eid was to give in to ISIS.
“Avoiding happiness is what ISIS terrorists want from us,” she said. “We should never let this happen. Life goes on. What is the point of turning Kurdistan into one big tomb.”