In our modern society, Islam has this image that makes it seem like it's the outlier of every other religion. Most likely, this is because of the terrorism that society now associates with it. As an International Muslim student studying in the U.S., I couldn't help but notice that one of the two Muslim holidays celebrated is so similar to Thanksgiving. Here's to being different, but the same!
1. Dressing up
My first Thanksgiving party in the U.S. I remember seeing everyone dressed up. The guests and the hosts had on their best clothes. The ladies had on cute dresses and the men crispy button-downs. Even the dogs were groomed for this event. On Eid al-Adha, best believe you will pull out your best outfit, the newest one, of course. It'll be tthe one no one has seen. You want to look good and impress the guests, after all.
2. Turkey or sheep?
The turkey in the oven is just like waking up to your mother baking the sheep. The smell of the food that floats around the house that morning is what wakes me up. AND praying. Praying on Eid is just like being grateful for the people that are there with you to celebrate the special day.
3. Long lost family members
The best part about any celebration that involves lots of people, is seeing that uncle you haven’t seen in a really long time. That uncle that comes loaded with gifts and compliments about how amazing you are. During Eid, when I was younger (and still now), I looked forward to when my uncles left, but slipped $20 into my hands. Parties just aren't the same without family members.
4. Eid al-Adha 2.0
At the end of the day, as an international Muslim student, Thanksgiving is just Eid al-Adha 2.0. The whole concept of Eid is to share food with others, especially the less fortunate—more specifically meat. So, the fact that Thanksgiving is all about being grateful and sharing food, is just another reminder of how similar our practices are.
Happy Thanksgiving!
