Celebrating Eid in War-torn Sudan

Muslims across the world are celebrating Eid Al-Adhua / Eid Al-Kabeer or Qurbani (Also known as the feast of sacrifice) this week. But some places the Eid will not be the usual Qurbani. Muslims in Sudan don’t know what to expect how the festivities will turn out in the war-torn land mass.

According to the Muslim lunar calendar (Hijri). It is the second and the bigger of the two main celebrated holidays (the other is Eid-ul-fitr). Usually a festival of feasting and abundance, communal gatherings and family reunions.

With the catastrophes of the on-going civil war between the Sudanese National army and the Paramilitary group led by general Dagalo, all the prospects are unimaginable.

With the communal setting of the Sudanese people such celebrations are of great merit, not only because it is a Muslim majority society but also the nature of its people, following a sacred custom passed down for generations.

To understand the Sudanese community. Acclaimed Sudanese author based in Aberdeen Scotland Leila Aboulela, writes in her fictionalized story ‘Something old, something new’.

Leila Aboulela tells a story in Edinburgh of a new Scottish Muslim convert who stumbles into a café from Friday prayers. Upon seeing a young Sudanese waitress, he’s taken by her beauty. As the intimacy blossoms within them, he takes a bold journey to Khartoum to marry her.

“Her house was larger than he had imagined, shabbier. It was full of people – she had five brothers and sisters, several nephews and nieces, an uncle who looked like an older, smaller version of Bill Cosby and an aunt who was asleep on a string bed in the corner of the room. The television blared. Her mother smiled at him and offered him sweets. Her father talked to him in careful, broken English. Everyone stared at him, curious, pleased. Only the brother looked bored, stretched out on another string bed staring at the ceiling.” Leila writes.

Being introduced to her family, he discovers her family extension every day. That is life in Khartoum, full of relatives with no privacy or boundaries. With time he learns to appreciate this life setting of the Sudanese. This is beyond gathering, this is the culture of the people of the Nile. The morning coffee chats, a shared glass of kerkedah, a platter of couscous with mulakawal, kebkebeh and gongoleez. Funeral gatherings which lasts for days and wedding celebrations which runs for a week. This is Sudan a happy people adorned in beautiful Thawb and jallabiya.  

In commemoration of this Abrahamic tradition, animals are sacrificed ritually. One third of their meat is consumed by the family offering the sacrifice, while the rest is distributed to the poor and needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family are typically visited and welcomed.

The Sudanese community in Nova Scotia, Canada. Have decided to assist people back home instead. They believe, they’re part of the void back home and they prefer the families back in the capital and the provinces to have a smile on the coming festivities regardless of the shelling cities and burning buildings. Animals will not be slaughtered rather the money will be sent to the families back home.

Eid is supposed to be celebrated with families, sweets and laughter, not being afraid of a stray bullet or collapsing buildings. Not celebrated in graveyards, hastening to bury a daughter in a hurry to go back and meet a dying son in a hospital short of medicines and medics.

Eid-Ul Mubarak.