Imams council urges canceling Eid al-Fitr festivities due to 'suffering' in Gaza

The Imams Council of Michigan on Friday urged Islamic centers across the state to cancel all public festivities and celebrations of the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr amid the "ongoing genocide unfolding in Gaza."

The announcement was followed by cancellations at 10 centers, including six in Dearborn, one in Detroit, one in Dearborn Heights and one in Warren. Among those canceling festivities were the American Moslem Society in Dearborn, the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights and the Islamic Organization of North America-Warren, according to a release from Imad Hamad, the executive director of the American Human Rights Council in Dearborn.

The council called for raising awareness and mobilizing support for humanitarian aid initiatives in Gaza amid Israeli forces' six-month-old war against Hamas. Israel declared war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack, in which the militant group killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and kidnapped about 250 others.

The council said it wants to mobilize support for Gaza by cancelling celebrations of Eid al-Fitr next week, the holiday that marks the ending of the month-long holiday Ramadan — which is a holy time marked by a 30-day period of fasting, prayer and reciting the Quran.

More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which makes no distinctions between military combatants and civilians. The Israeli offensive has pushed Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 80% of the population and leaving over 1 million people on the brink of starvation.

Eid al-Fitr is observed with feasts and family visits. The start of the holiday is traditionally based on sightings of the new moon, which vary according to geographic location.

"The situation in Gaza demands our immediate attention and action. As members of the global Muslim community, it is our duty to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Gaza and to show our unwavering support for their plight," Imams Council of Michigan officials said in a statement.

The Imams Council instead has chosen to dedicate the Eid sermon and festivities to "addressing the plight of our brothers and sisters in the Holyland, particularly the children."

"This is a time for reflection, prayer, and collective action to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the ongoing violence and oppression," the council said.

Israeli officials have said they have conducted a legitimate defense of their people, are fighting a war they did not start and accused Hamas militants of committing genocide.

jaimery@detroitnews.com

Associated Press contributed.