By Angela Hill

Eid celebrated in Prince Albert

Aug 30, 2011 | 12:39 PM

Prince Albert’s Masjid was packed during the Eid prayers that mark the end of Ramadan, this morning.

“I’m happy, I’m happy every time I see more people so I have a chance to speak about real issues, so this gives me an occasion to talk to as many people as I can,” said Syed Ali, the imam at the mosque.

At the end of prayers women sat together in big groups dressed head-to-toe in colourful skirts robes and scarves talking and laughing. Kids picked traditional sweets off of a table full of food, while adults watched.

A shared meal is an important part of the end Eid prayers.

While some families have moved away from the community, there are more families coming now than ever before, Ali said.

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“Actually most of us did gather every week in Ramadan last month,” he said.

Ramadan is the month of fasting, where for about 39 days Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

It’s more difficult to fast when Ramadan falls in the summertime because the days are longer, Ali said.

Some days fasting goes as long as 18 hours in Prince Albert, with only water being consumed during daylight hours.

Many northern communities, especially those where daylight can be 24-hours in the summertime are looking at setting an agreed on time limit.

“A 16-hour day, they calculate the time. Something like that may come for next year to make it more, more manageable,” Ali said.

Ali said Eid brings the most numbers of people out to pray and celebrate the end of the fast.

“It opens up some people’s heart and mind and it’s a good feeling actually, that’s what I want.”

The next festival is set to be held in two months and ten days and celebrates Eid al-Adha and the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

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