Wednesday is the last full day of Ramadan, a month filled with the traditions of fasting and prayer for Muslims. The celebration at the end of Ramadan is called Eid. This year, many Muslims in Washington are starting a new tradition: gifts for neighbors.
The idea comes from the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington (CAIR-WA) and encourages families to attach a card explaining Eid to a gift and bring it to their next door neighbors.
“I think there’s a lack of knowledge, number one, about Islam and Muslims,” said CAIR-WA executive director Arsalan Bukhari. “We thought what better way for people to learn about Islam and Muslims than from their own neighbors.”
Bukhari says they’ve distributed nearly 5,000 informational packets to families at nearly all of the 40+ mosques in the state. He says Washington’s Muslim population totals nearly 100,000, and it’s important that we all share a greater understanding of each other.
“Really no one would mind having someone come to their door and wish them happy anything and give them a gift and a card,” he said.
The hope is to focus more on how we’re all similar, not different.
Families will be delivering the gifts Wednesday and Thursday nights.