Suburban Muslims mark Eid with 'joy and happiness,' from a distance

Processions of vehicles made their way to various suburban mosques Sunday as Muslims observed Eid, marking the completion of a monthlong fasting period.

Instead of gathering for traditional congregational prayers, they participated in drive-through celebrations in the parking lots of mosques in Bolingbrook, Bridgeview, Naperville, Lombard, Orland Park, Wheaton and Willowbrook.

Across the suburbs mosques remain closed due to the state's ban on mass gatherings to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Many Muslims performed their morning Eid prayers at home and then joined the motorcades to pick up balloons, gifts, toys, sweets and goody bags without getting out of their cars.

Eid al-Fitr - or "Feast of the Fast-Breaking" - is the celebration at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. During the month, Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to sunset. The fast is performed to attain piety, learn self-discipline, self-restraint and compassion toward the less fortunate. Charity also is emphasized.

"The idea here is to give a sense of joy and happiness," said Hassan Aly, imam and religious director of The Mecca Center in Willowbrook. "Especially for our kids, this is the time when we show them that (Eid) is a thing that we need to celebrate, even in these times."

Typically, more than 3,000 people attend Eid prayers at the mosque. Aly expected more than 500 cars with families to come through Sunday.

A similar scene unfolded at the Islamic Center of Naperville. The program there was conceived and organized by the mosque's youth leaders. It included food, Islamic music and a collection of donations for refugee children.

"It's super exciting for the community to have a way to get together, of course with social distancing in mind," said Mesha Fakhruddin, 21, one of two ICN youth directors. "I don't think even (the youth) were expecting such an overwhelming community response for their first leadership project."

Fakhruddin expected to receive roughly 200 families who would each receive a box of sweets, and goody bags with cotton candy and balloons for children.

"It ended up being a communitywide effort," she said.