The Muslim Student Association hosted its annual Eid al-Fitr festival on the Great Lawn on Monday, March 23, bringing students together for food, music and cultural activities. The event featured traditional dishes such as samosas, Rooh Afza, fruit trifle and Sholeh Zard, along with stations for temporary henna tattoos and hijab try-ons.
Eid al-Fitr, known as the “festival of breaking the fast,” celebrates the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer and reflection. While billions around the world observe the holiday, MSA has taken the initiative to bring it to Oak Park High School, giving students the opportunity to experience the culture firsthand.
The festival reflects MSA’s effort to represent Muslim students on campus.
“We wanted this celebration to acknowledge Muslim celebrations because we have a very small minority of Muslim students in this school,” Muslim Student Association co-president and senior Zara Farooqui said.
Farooqui said the event would not have been possible without teamwork and support from the school office.
“Everyone really worked hard to put it together,” Farooqui said. “I also think the office is really helpful when it comes to organizing events–not just Eid, but also Nowruz, Diwali, Chinese New Year and Jewish holidays.”
Students attending the celebration appreciated being able to actively participate in and learn about the Eid al-Fitr.
“Since the events are at lunch, everyone can go learn about [the celebration], because we don’t always learn about things like this in class,” senior Ananya Bathija said. “Students come together to make the learning more interactive for other students.”
For others, the festival was a reminder of the value of cultural exposure.
“I think this celebration is so beautiful, and I think it’s so great that we’re bringing culture to our campus,” senior Maanvi Dhadoti said. “I think it’s really important for us to be able to experience and learn about different cultures.”
