"Celebrate! The month of fasting has come. Pleasant journey to the one Who is the company of the fasting."-Jalaluddin Rumi

This page should help explain a few things about this year's Eid al-Fitr Prayer hosted by Laury Silvers and me, Nakia Jackson.

First, the invite. It's on the front page, but I'll repost here.

——PLEASE FORWARD/PUBLICIZE WIDELY——
Asalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah, and Ramadan Mubarak.
"O moon-faced Beloved, the month of Ramadan has arrived.
Cover the table and open the path of praise."
—Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi
Nakia Jackson and Laury Silvers invite you to celebrate
Eid al-Fitr prayer and breakfast with them.
God is Merciful and Loving and has given us the strength to step forward.
Please step forward with us. Join us for this Eid al-Fitr prayer in which we pray
for lives of ethical beauty in the way of God alone.
Our prayer will be an act of affirming God’s justice
through civil disobedience for the sake of God.
We believe that if we continue to step forward gently, constantly, firmly,
with our hearts focused on God alone these times will pass.
We cannot be kept out of the mosques forever.
We cannot be kept from partnership in our community.
One gentle step at a time, we shall transform the community.
But we must keep stepping forward.
Eid is a joyful time, and joy is meant to be shared.
If our non-Muslim sisters and brothers wish to stop by for fellowship and food,
please know that you are welcome.
Please Join us:
7:00 AM, Monday, October 23rd, 2006 (Date by Fiqh Council/ISNA)
38 Cameron in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Visit their website for directions: http://www.38cameron.com/.
We shall be collecting Zakat ul-Fitr for the Greater Boston food bank.
Takbir will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by Eid salah led by Nakia Jackson,
then a khutbah by Laury Silvers, closing with delicious breakfast.
If you have any questions, please contact
Nakia Jackson at mqwe1919@hotmail.com or
Laury Silvers at lsilvers@skidmore.edu
May God give us all strength and guidance to take these steps beautifully
and nourish us all with love and light.

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For our non-Muslim friends: Just what is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr is the Islamic holiday that commemorates the end of Ramadan. Eid is the Arabic word for holiday, and fitr refers to breaking of the fast of Ramadan. A special congregational prayer service is held, sweets are prepared (and eaten) in great quantities, and people wear their best while socializing. We will be offering a light breakfast at this prayer service, which doesn't happen everywhere, but we wanted to provide both spiritual and physical sustenance. Speaking of practices that need to be established, like most Islamic prayers, leadership has been usurped by men, and we thought it was time to get women into the act a bit more often. See "Why:"

For everybody:

Where: We've booked a space devoted to meditation and enlightenment, named after its address, 38 Cameron. Located in Cambridge near Davis Square, it hosts a number of events, and has an art gallery on site, with exhibits that change seasonally. Public transportation is one's best bet for reaching the site, as parking is limited. Several buses and the MBTA Red line run nearby, and for those coming from out of town on bus or train lines, Davis Square is an easy ride from South Station on the Red Line. For those who must drive, parking is available at a nearby subway station. Please visit the 38 Cameron website at www.38cameron.com , or visit www.mbta.com for public transport directions.

When: The prayer will be held on Monday, October 23, 2006, the date chosen according to the Fiqh Council of North America's decision regarding determining Islamic dates. More information on their decision can be found at www.isna.net . The doors will open at 7:00 a.m., and Takbir will begin at 7:30. After Eid salah, the khutbah, and breakfast,the program will conclude at 10:30 a.m.

Who: Laury Silvers will lead the khutbah (sermon), and I will lead Eid salah (prayer). We will try not to fudge things up.

How: Unless you're wondering about the logistics of the event, you may be asking how we're able to be comfortable with doing something rather unconventional, as Laury and I both have a healthy respect for tradition. The key is that we have a healthy respect for tradition; we neither reject it outright nor follow it off a cliff. I'll let Laury speak for herself, but between the hints and glimmers of potential acceptability, and the fact that I serve a Just God, I felt that this was the right thing to do, and the right time to do it. If you're looking for information on woman-led prayer in general, try these resources:

PMUNA's Woman-led Prayer Initiative

Muslim Women's League article on the Spiritual Roles of Women

Dr. Khaled Abou el Fadl's fatwa on Woman-led Prayer

Wikipedia article on Women as Imams

Why: Women have far more to offer the world than domestic service. Our spiritual gifts exist for a reason, and to deny their expression is not only unjust, but robs the world of a chance to benefit from the courage and wisdom of half its population. Islamic jurisprudential traditions are not carved in stone, and we are pushing for the change that will make expressions of Islam truly egalitarian, and more consistent with the Qur'anic ideals of equality of humankind.

But even if this inequality did not exist, we would still need a significant change in Islamic worship services. Khutbahs are frequently lectures devoid of relevant guidance and sorely needed inspiration for today's Muslims. Some are devoted to political causes; some are merely fundraising pitches. The problems that plague our community and its sermons are too numerous to mention, but inadequate sermons are cheap to fix, with incalculable benefits. Yet Friday after Friday, Muslims endure the same problems and the same sermons, and American Muslims avoid the mosque in droves. This is not true of some mosques and imams, but it is true of many. Our worship services need an overhaul, and Laury is just the woman for the job.

Q: I'm a journalist. May I cover the prayer?

We're trying to keep the press presence to a minimum, so we're going to say no, unless you are a Muslim journalist who actually wants to participate and write it up afterwards. Naturally, this would preclude TV coverage; it's difficult to prostrate with a camera in hand, and the audience wouldn't appreciate the frequent floor close-ups. Email us with your questions relating to press coverage.

Who should you contact for more information:

Me, Nakia Jackson: mqwe1919@hotmail.com

Laury Silvers: lsilvers@skidmore.edu

What are we serving for breakfast: You'll just have to show up and find out.

Dress Code: Festive, comfortable-and modest, please. You'll be asked to remove your shoes and be seated on the floor, unless special needs prevent it. Trousers for women are perfectly acceptable.

Eid Mubarak, insha'Allah.