Asia celebrates post-pandemic Eid

Muslim Filipina Luisa Castro welcomed the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Saturday by joining the hundreds of worshippers in the Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre — Hong Kong's largest mosque.

Castro, an educator and community organizer, is happy that she can now join other Hong Kong-based Muslims in celebrating Eid-al Fitr. This is a far cry from the muted Eid celebrations in the past few years when the pandemic compelled Muslims like Castro to offer their prayers at home with immediate family.

"It's always been a practice to invite friends and colleagues (to celebrate the) Eid," she said, noting that Ramadan and Eid are communal events.

Castro is just among the over 1 billion Muslims in Asia who are celebrating the first post-pandemic Eid by returning to traditional practices — worshipping and feasting together. Celebrations can even last for a few weeks as Muslims usually use this time to go back to their hometown to visit their extended family.

Hissein Brahim Taha, secretary-general of the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has issued a statement extending his warmest congratulations and best wishes to the global Muslim community who are celebrating the Eid.

In Saudi Arabia, colorful firework displays in 13 cities marked the first day of Eid festivities, according to a report filed by Saudi Gazette. Eid prayers were also held in the holy city of Mecca.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, an estimated 123 million of people started returning to their hometowns over the weekend after the Indonesian government declared April 21 to 24 as a public holiday compared to 82 million people who returned to their hometowns in 2022, according to official data.

Murniati, a fruit and vegetable vendor, has endured long queues, traffic jams and an 18-hour commute from Jakarta, so that she can go back to her hometown in Central Java. She traveled back to the village of Karanganyar together with her husband, children and grandchildren via free mudik bus provided by the government.

"Today we feel so happy to get together. We enjoy special Lebaran meals. We feel free," Murniati said from her hometown village in Karanganyar, Central Java, on Saturday. She said most people in Karanganyar no longer fear COVID-19 pandemic although they still wear face masks in outdoor places.

On Sunday, the second day celebration of the holiday, Indonesian Muslim families open their house especially for nonfamily members like friends, co-workers and others from relatively faraway places, a long-held tradition.

Likewise, Muslims in other parts of Asia spent this year's Eid holidays to finally go back to their hometowns as lockdown and social distancing measures have been lifted.

Samina Seth, who is currently based in Islamabad, returned to Hong Kong to celebrate the Eid. The South Asian entrepreneur was born in Hong Kong and has family and friends in the city.

As the founder of the Muslim Professional Network in Hong Kong, she organized an Eid brunch in an Indian restaurant near the Kowloon mosque in April 22. Seth said most of the members, some of whom have no immediate family in Hong Kong, went to party as they wanted to celebrate Eid with a wider community.

In the Eastern Malaysian state of Sabah, laboratory technician Baizurah Basri drove from the city of Kita Kinabalu to the town of Kimanis so she can see her family.

"We see a significant increase in visitors compared to last year. And we got more invitations for open house," Basri said, alluding to the common practice of 'opening' one's home for guests, so that they can celebrate Eid together.

"I think more people are reverting back to the way they celebrate Eid before the pandemic," she said.

Roy Muhamad Nasser, a former member of Riau provincial house of representatives, has opened his home in Indonesia to family and friends to celebrate the Eid. Nasser and his wife served popular Indonesian fare including rice cakes, chicken curry and deep-fried hard boiled eggs that were cooked in chili sauce.

Nasser said Eid is about "loving our fellow men regardless of their background". He's active in charity work around his multiethnic neighborhood.

In Pakistan, the Pakistan Railways has arranged special trains catering to passengers going back to their hometowns. Hundreds of police teams have been deployed to ensure security of markets, parks and other public places across the south Asian country, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency.