A happy Eid Al Adha?

December 31, 2006 8:51 PM

A happy Eid Al Adha?

How do I convey good wishes to Islamic friends of mine today? While out celebrating a traditional Scottish Hogmanay tonight, a pair of my friends (One Paskistani, another Albanian) shook hands because it was Eid and told me they were attending mosque this morning with more traditional family members. I'd like to wish them both something appropriate as they both happily indulged our pretty drunken New Years Eve rituals (whisky, singing and dancing etc). I've done a bit of tipsy googling on it but am unsure whether a "Happy Eid!" suffices or not...

posted by brautigan to society & culture (7 comments total)

Just say "Eid Mabrouk."
posted by Liosliath at 9:18 PM on December 31, 2006

I know people are going to nitpick, so yes, it's really "Eid Mubarak" (aid moo-bar-ak), but "Eid Mabrouk" is the casual way of saying it. Just like the official response is "Allah yubarak feek," which ends up sounding like "Lie-bar-feek."
posted by Liosliath at 9:24 PM on December 31, 2006

It suffices for me! (I'm Muslim, nominally at least.) Given the incredible amounts of mistrust in the "west" towards anyone who acknowledges any sort of Muslim identity, the heartfelt wish for a Muslim friend, coworker or stranger to enjoy their celebration is always appreciated. You'd be surprised at how many people have never heard of this celebration, so just the acknowledgement is cool. In my old country, it's not called Eid but Kurban-Bajram (I assume this is due to a Turkish, rather than Arabic influence historically), and do you know what people there are doing tonight? Drinking, singing and dancing! Probably not drinking whisky, but plum brandy and other alcoholic drinks. Not too different from what you're doing tonight, but we would also have big feasts with freshly-slaughtered lamb and goat.

The way we would greet each other today would be a translated version of "Happy Bajram!" (or "Happy Eid!")
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 9:27 PM on December 31, 2006

Ooo, ooo, are you Macedonian?
posted by Liosliath at 9:40 PM on December 31, 2006

Dee, sorry for jumping in, but I'm still looking for your email address!
posted by k8t at 9:54 AM on January 1, 2007

Not Macedonian, Bosnian. (Sorry for disappointing you, you seem to really be *excited* about maybe finding a Macedonian!) My mother's side of the family was very old Bosnian with Turkish ancestors, my father's side was not-so-old Bosnian with mostly Montenegrin roots. I didn't know anyone was looking for my e-mail address, I'll send that on as soon as I figure out how.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 2:15 PM on January 1, 2007

Not disappointed - just that the coolest roommates I ever had, and my wizardly Volvo mechanics (different people) were all Macedonian. I'm sure I'd like Bosnians just as much!
posted by Liosliath at 3:01 PM on January 1, 2007