NPR picture.
Michigan: In the United States Michigan, Eid Al Fitr is going to be without its festivities, shrinking to Eid prayers. Around ten Islamic centres in Dearborn here announced that they are cancelling public festivities of Eid, citing the continuing war and crimes against humanity in Gaza, National News reported.
They have cancelled the Eid breakfasts, festivals and exchanging gifts. The news agency reports that Muslims in Dearborn, the so-called capital of Arab America, will keep Eid to sombre sermons. There will be donation collections for Gaza there.
A source, Imam Mustapha el-Turk, was quoted by National News, "In light of what has been happening in Gaza for the past six months, how can one celebrate when you know our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land are going through such atrocities, starvation and hunger?"
He said that it just does not feel right.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud cancelled an Eid community breakfast on Monday, and organisers of the event cited the severe conflict in Gaza.
According to health officials in Gaza, led by Hamas, more than 33,000 Palestinians were killed in the war that has gone beyond six months and continues. The war is said to be a retaliation to a Hamas lightning attack on Israel's territory on the 7th of October. The attack is said to have killed 1,200 Israeli people.
Further, a famine is looming in Gaza after months of irregular entry of food and water into the war-torn land.
On the last day of Ramadan, masses took a rally in Michigan, chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America". Videos of the same cropped up on social media, and many offended Americans came up to condemn the second chant.