Eid al-Fitr draws huge turnout at Islamic Center of Greater Toledo
May 14—It had been nearly two years since the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo last hosted an in-person Eid al-Fitr celebration, as the coronavirus pandemic forced the Perrysburg-based mosque to celebrate virtually last year.
So when he laid out plans for Thursday's Eid al-Fitr, which as the first of two major holy days in Islam marks the occasion of breaking a month-long fast during Ramadan, Ahmad Taouil, the center's president, expected around 1,000 people to show up.
The turnout proved to about twice that.
Friends and families gathered outside the mosque where they shared greetings, hugged, and participated in Takbeer at 9:30 a.m., Salat at 10 a.m., and a festival with games, food, and an inflatable bounce castle that began at 10:30 a.m.
The weather was sunny and in the 60s, and smiles were strewn across the faces of hundreds of people ecstatic to reconnect with friends they hadn't seen for some time.
The massive turnout caught Mr. Taouil by surprise, but he was joyous about being able to share the holy day in person once again.
"We were not expecting this many people, but we're blessed to have this many people come out today," he said. "We've always had a community that really supported us. We had a great foundation of volunteers and help, and there's a lot of excitement, especially this being the first major event here at the center. People came out in droves and we're happy to see everybody we haven't seen in forever."
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The mosque decided to host the prayer and event outside as the pandemic continues and vaccinations are ongoing, but being able to congregate again, after a virtual prayer last year, meant everything to Imam Ahmad Deeb.
"I don't know how to describe it in words," he said after delivering the Salat prayer. "To have all these people back, this is very healing for them. Having been stripped away from community for so long, even though we continued some services with precautions and guidelines, this celebration and holiday at the completion of Ramadan is the most special of all holidays for Muslims."
Because of the high turnout, an overflow space had to be set up for the prayer outside the tent that was initially set up.
Mohamed Occa, an Oregon resident in attendance, said it was "tear-jerking" to see so many people show up at Eid-al-Fitr after having to celebrate the day virtually last year.
"It was very passionate," he said. "It's very heart-warming that we are back to somewhat normalcy."
Suzy Alfahham said she thinks having gone through struggles the world has faced over the past 15 months will lead people to not take simple things in life for granted.
"We need to go back to the better normal," she said. "We're humans, we cannot live virtually, or behind screens. We did those things for a reason, but hopefully we can overcome it and go back to socialization and community."
It's a message the Imam shared with the community Thursday.
"My message was we have to first and foremost understand the lessons that COVID has taught us," he said. "That this was a wakeup call. This was a test for a lot of us. We believe everything is divinely ordained. And there is going to be wisdom and lessons for those who seek it.
"Our actions have an impact on those around us," he added. "We cannot just live selfishly and individualistically without a care for how that impacts others around us."
First Published May 13, 2021, 3:06pm
