Throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the traditional “fast-breaking” holiday, Eid al-Fitr, area Muslims gathered at a Wylie event venue to commune and showcase the Muslim community.

From March 22 through April 21, Muslims around the world fasted during the day for Ramadan. Nooria Hadi, a Wylie resident, said Muslims will eat a meal before dawn, called a sohoor, and will refrain from eating or drinking anything before breaking the fast at sunset with the iftar or dinner with a large variety of foods.

Importantly, Hadi said only those in good health are required to participate in the fasting.

“In Ramadan, they are encouraged to give charity, strengthen their relationship with God, and show kindness and compassion,” Hadi said.

During the holy month, Hadi said Muslims from across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex gather at a family venue in Wylie where they host a community iftar for families. In this area, there are many Muslims from several countries, including India, Pakistan, Syria, Sudan and Yemen, she added.

Hadi said embracing these local events and celebrating the diversity is one way to create a more productive and inclusive community.

“It’s important to bring together peoples from different countries to share meals and culture, traditions and experiences,” Hadi said. “Having contact with people from different backgrounds, celebrating differences, not only tolerating it, interacting with people who have diverse practice styles , life experience and culture promotes empathy and compassion instead of judgment.”

This year, Muslims also gathered to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at local mosques to say a prayer known as a takbeer and also consume something sweet, such as a date. Prior to the prayer, Muslims are also required to make a zakat al fitr, which is a contribution to the poor that goes toward feeding them, said Hadi.

“It’s also common to elder believers to give money and gifts to the kids,” Hadi said. 

Beyond gathering to celebrate their own culture, Hadi said there have been contributions in Wylie to organizations, such as the community center, to help build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims in the area.

“I wish our kids continue to build bridges with different communities here,” Hadi said. “We also distributed some sweets and dates to our Americans neighbors non-Muslims and also to our community like seniors center and community center.” 

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