Newcastle's Eid ul-Adha celebration feels like home for Muslim community

The Advertiser

06-06-2025

Bushra Quaran and Muhammad Arslan celebrated their first Eid in Newcastle since moving from Pakistan seven months ago.
Cuddling their one-year-old boy, Muhammad Zakwan Arslan, Ms Quaran said they felt at home on Friday morning at the Newcastle Foreshore train sheds.
"The prayer was a big gathering, it felt like our homeland," she said.
"I got a bit emotional when I saw all the different cultures coming together here."
The family joined hundreds of others in the Newcastle Muslim community on June 6 to celebrate Eid ul-Adha.
Children and adults alike shared food and caught up with friends and family.
Some kids rode ponies, patted chickens and fluffy goats, while others burnt off energy on the jumping castle.
Mayfield Mosque Imam Mohamed Hamed said there were more than 45 different backgrounds celebrating, with about 20 types of cuisines to try.
"It's a good chance for them to meet if they don't have a chance throughout the year because of daily life," Imam Hamed said.
"It's a social gathering that combines everyone from different backgrounds, and they celebrate as they used to do in their countries," he said.
Eid ul-Adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, with Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan in March.
Imam Hamed said today's celebration coincided with people making a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as well as marking the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham and his wife and son.
Eid ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah.
Pakistani friends Rabia Basri and Ramsha Parvez said they came to the foreshore to participate in Namaz (prayers) and meet with the rest of their community.
"We celebrated Eid al-Fitr in March, and these are the two most important festivals in the year," Ms Basri said.
"We wait the whole year to come and celebrate," she said.
Ms Parvez said they shared a sweet treat called seviyan, which was a vermicelli pudding made with milk.
The friends were also thrilled to wear their traditional suits with a dupatta, a long shawl-like scarf.
"We don't get to wear it often, as we wear western clothes to work, we really feel like it is a special day for us," Ms Parvez said.
Ms Parvez's nine-year-old daughter, Eshaal Parvez, only had eyes for one treat.
"I love cotton candy," she said.
"My favourite part is how we are having fun and how we get to enjoy and eat food."
Anika Tasnim took a selfie with her friends and family, also from Bangladesh.
"Today is a lot of fun," she said.
"We are just really thankful to the Mayfield Mosque for putting on the event."
Bushra Quaran and Muhammad Arslan celebrated their first Eid in Newcastle since moving from Pakistan seven months ago.
Cuddling their one-year-old boy, Muhammad Zakwan Arslan, Ms Quaran said they felt at home on Friday morning at the Newcastle Foreshore train sheds.
"The prayer was a big gathering, it felt like our homeland," she said.
"I got a bit emotional when I saw all the different cultures coming together here."
The family joined hundreds of others in the Newcastle Muslim community on June 6 to celebrate Eid ul-Adha.
Children and adults alike shared food and caught up with friends and family.
Some kids rode ponies, patted chickens and fluffy goats, while others burnt off energy on the jumping castle.
Mayfield Mosque Imam Mohamed Hamed said there were more than 45 different backgrounds celebrating, with about 20 types of cuisines to try.
"It's a good chance for them to meet if they don't have a chance throughout the year because of daily life," Imam Hamed said.
"It's a social gathering that combines everyone from different backgrounds, and they celebrate as they used to do in their countries," he said.
Eid ul-Adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, with Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan in March.
Imam Hamed said today's celebration coincided with people making a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as well as marking the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham and his wife and son.
Eid ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah.
Pakistani friends Rabia Basri and Ramsha Parvez said they came to the foreshore to participate in Namaz (prayers) and meet with the rest of their community.
"We celebrated Eid al-Fitr in March, and these are the two most important festivals in the year," Ms Basri said.
"We wait the whole year to come and celebrate," she said.
Ms Parvez said they shared a sweet treat called seviyan, which was a vermicelli pudding made with milk.
The friends were also thrilled to wear their traditional suits with a dupatta, a long shawl-like scarf.
"We don't get to wear it often, as we wear western clothes to work, we really feel like it is a special day for us," Ms Parvez said.
Ms Parvez's nine-year-old daughter, Eshaal Parvez, only had eyes for one treat.
"I love cotton candy," she said.
"My favourite part is how we are having fun and how we get to enjoy and eat food."
Anika Tasnim took a selfie with her friends and family, also from Bangladesh.
"Today is a lot of fun," she said.
"We are just really thankful to the Mayfield Mosque for putting on the event."
Bushra Quaran and Muhammad Arslan celebrated their first Eid in Newcastle since moving from Pakistan seven months ago.
Cuddling their one-year-old boy, Muhammad Zakwan Arslan, Ms Quaran said they felt at home on Friday morning at the Newcastle Foreshore train sheds.
"The prayer was a big gathering, it felt like our homeland," she said.
"I got a bit emotional when I saw all the different cultures coming together here."
The family joined hundreds of others in the Newcastle Muslim community on June 6 to celebrate Eid ul-Adha.
Children and adults alike shared food and caught up with friends and family.
Some kids rode ponies, patted chickens and fluffy goats, while others burnt off energy on the jumping castle.
Mayfield Mosque Imam Mohamed Hamed said there were more than 45 different backgrounds celebrating, with about 20 types of cuisines to try.
"It's a good chance for them to meet if they don't have a chance throughout the year because of daily life," Imam Hamed said.
"It's a social gathering that combines everyone from different backgrounds, and they celebrate as they used to do in their countries," he said.
Eid ul-Adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, with Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan in March.
Imam Hamed said today's celebration coincided with people making a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as well as marking the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham and his wife and son.
Eid ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah.
Pakistani friends Rabia Basri and Ramsha Parvez said they came to the foreshore to participate in Namaz (prayers) and meet with the rest of their community.
"We celebrated Eid al-Fitr in March, and these are the two most important festivals in the year," Ms Basri said.
"We wait the whole year to come and celebrate," she said.
Ms Parvez said they shared a sweet treat called seviyan, which was a vermicelli pudding made with milk.
The friends were also thrilled to wear their traditional suits with a dupatta, a long shawl-like scarf.
"We don't get to wear it often, as we wear western clothes to work, we really feel like it is a special day for us," Ms Parvez said.
Ms Parvez's nine-year-old daughter, Eshaal Parvez, only had eyes for one treat.
"I love cotton candy," she said.
"My favourite part is how we are having fun and how we get to enjoy and eat food."
Anika Tasnim took a selfie with her friends and family, also from Bangladesh.
"Today is a lot of fun," she said.
"We are just really thankful to the Mayfield Mosque for putting on the event."
Bushra Quaran and Muhammad Arslan celebrated their first Eid in Newcastle since moving from Pakistan seven months ago.
Cuddling their one-year-old boy, Muhammad Zakwan Arslan, Ms Quaran said they felt at home on Friday morning at the Newcastle Foreshore train sheds.
"The prayer was a big gathering, it felt like our homeland," she said.
"I got a bit emotional when I saw all the different cultures coming together here."
The family joined hundreds of others in the Newcastle Muslim community on June 6 to celebrate Eid ul-Adha.
Children and adults alike shared food and caught up with friends and family.
Some kids rode ponies, patted chickens and fluffy goats, while others burnt off energy on the jumping castle.
Mayfield Mosque Imam Mohamed Hamed said there were more than 45 different backgrounds celebrating, with about 20 types of cuisines to try.
"It's a good chance for them to meet if they don't have a chance throughout the year because of daily life," Imam Hamed said.
"It's a social gathering that combines everyone from different backgrounds, and they celebrate as they used to do in their countries," he said.
Eid ul-Adha is the second Eid celebration of the year, with Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan in March.
Imam Hamed said today's celebration coincided with people making a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as well as marking the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham and his wife and son.
Eid ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah.
Pakistani friends Rabia Basri and Ramsha Parvez said they came to the foreshore to participate in Namaz (prayers) and meet with the rest of their community.
"We celebrated Eid al-Fitr in March, and these are the two most important festivals in the year," Ms Basri said.
"We wait the whole year to come and celebrate," she said.
Ms Parvez said they shared a sweet treat called seviyan, which was a vermicelli pudding made with milk.
The friends were also thrilled to wear their traditional suits with a dupatta, a long shawl-like scarf.
"We don't get to wear it often, as we wear western clothes to work, we really feel like it is a special day for us," Ms Parvez said.
Ms Parvez's nine-year-old daughter, Eshaal Parvez, only had eyes for one treat.
"I love cotton candy," she said.
"My favourite part is how we are having fun and how we get to enjoy and eat food."
Anika Tasnim took a selfie with her friends and family, also from Bangladesh.
"Today is a lot of fun," she said.
"We are just really thankful to the Mayfield Mosque for putting on the event."