For many Muslims, Eid is a significant event, with Eid-al-Adha, in particular, honoring Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to sacrifice his son at Allah’s command. Upon Ibrahim’s unflinching willingness, Allah instead accepts his sacrifice of a ram.
In Islam, sacrifice has also come to consist of selflessly devoting one’s time to the service of others, such as through voluntary work.
This year, as a part of the Eid-al-Adha celebrations, community leaders, including first responders, elected officials, civic and nonprofit partners, as well as interfaith colleagues, were invited to both Headquarters and Northeast Jamatkhanas in Atlanta for an Eid Celebration Tea with the Ismaili Council for the Southeastern United States.
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In Headquarters Jamatkhana, the event commenced with the Qur’anic recitation of Surah Al-Hujurat, and its English translation. The Surah emphasizes the beauty of diversity among people and that God created humans diverse but equal so that they could unite for the common good. Following the recitation, President Salima Jaffer of the Southeast Ismaili Council addressed the guests, saying: “We sincerely appreciate the friendship and support you bring, and we look forward to building deeper ties so that we may discover additional ways to partner with you in service to the greater community and build bridges of peace and understanding.”
Ann Cramer, a civic leader and a strategic consultant to local nonprofits who have attended various Ismaili Council programs and served on the Council-organized City of Atlanta inaugural Day of Religious Pluralism event, took the stage next, offering these remarks:
“God, Maker of Peace, we gather in community as people of faith and conscience. We know You by many names, we know You through many texts, and we experience You in many ways. And we are bound by our common belief that there is something bigger than all of us. We share a feeling of sacred responsibility to act out of compassion for our fellow human beings.”
Ms. Cramer went on to share that the power of faith and service in the community unites all humans, regardless of individual differences.
After the speeches, guests enjoyed assembling Eid Blessing bags for refugees, containing hygiene products and motivational notes for good measure. Attendees also had the chance to tour the Jamatkhana, view the Aga Khan Award for Architecture exhibit, and bond through refreshments, which included a spread of mouthwatering samosas, sweets, hummus, pita bread, fruits and vegetables, and steaming hot chai.
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At the event hosted in Northeast Jamatkhana, Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser, President of Interfaith Atlanta, was invited to deliver the keynote address. ”[In my] thirty years of being a rabbi,” said Nemhauser, “ [I have] never encountered so much volunteerism and philanthropy from one relatively small group of people.”
She continued to praise volunteerism as lifesaving to embracing diversity and pluralism and lauded the Ismaili community. “Your community does not just give lip service to the idea that we are all part of one humanity,” said Nemhauser. “You do not just teach the imperative to save and protect all of God's creation; you live your values through action.”
In addition to appreciating the Ismaili community’s volunteerism, Nemhauser also applauded Hazar Imam’s work through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). “His Highness the Aga Khan, teaches 'what a wonderfully liberating thing it would be, if more of us, more of the time, could see diversity not as a burden, but as a blessing; not as a threat, but as an opportunity.' Addressing chronic health issues in poor and underserved communities around the world, working to increase the quality and availability of learning opportunities shows us that the AKDN is committed to making the world a better and safer place for the most vulnerable among us.”
Like the event hosted at Headquarters Jamatkhana, this event, too, presented an opportunity for volunteers to create Eid Blessing Bags and bond over a celebratory cultural food spread.
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In Birmingham, during an Eid-al-Fitr celebration earlier in the year, local leaders were invited to visit the Birmingham Jamatkhana. In attendance were Mayor Brocato of Hoover, Mayor Ashley Curry of Vestavia Hills, Mayor Patrick McClusky of Homewood, Mayor James Stewart of Irondale, and Mayor Buddy Choat of Trussville. Each of these leaders commended the Ismailis community’s voluntary service to local citizens as well as their devotion to helping individuals from all walks of life improve their quality of life. In return, the Ismaili Council applauded the work and dedication of first responders in keeping the local community safe for everyone.
At this event, attendees participated in a project benefiting individuals without permanent homes through a program called “Be a Blessing Birmingham.”
While Eid holds paramount significance for Ismailis and Muslims, it also presents an opportunity to share our joy and religious heritage of helping others with our local neighbors and communities through meaningful initiatives. Meanwhile, our Imam and his agencies, such as the AKDN, serve as catalysts from which we can draw examples of how we should extend this help and effort unflinchingly to everyone – irrespective of similarities or differences. After all, this is the true spirit of humanity, in which every individual should strive to exist.
