Houston’s Muslims give in the true spirit of Eid
Like many Muslims, Shazia Ashraf was expecting to spend some time tidying up her home in Houston and preparing desserts in readiness for the guests who were coming to celebrate Eid Al Adha.
She is also a chairwoman of the Sisters Committee, part of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston.
But this year, she has no home to clean and no kitchen in which to prepare family meals.
This year, like so many, she has lost everything to Hurricane Harvey and its ensuing floods.
Everything, that is, except her positive spirit.
“The minute we realised the huge impact Harvey would cause on the city, ISGH started to mobilise its team of volunteers to prepare mosques as shelters and we updated our website to let people know,” said Ms Ashraf, 37, who teaches maths at Lone Star College.
Between 80 and 100 homes in her neighbourhood have been damaged, and Ms Ashraf has thrown out every stick of furniture and appliance.
“I have lived in Houston for nearly 30 years and lived through every single hurricane and natural disaster that has come this way, but it has never been so devastating,” she said.
Houston has the largest number of Muslims in Texas – about 60,000, making up 1.2 per cent of the population. They are a long-established community served by more than 40 mosques of all sizes. Many have suffered some level of damage that will take months to repair.
“The ceiling is leaking and the entire carpet of the mosque needs to be replaced which may cost $10,000,” said Dr Bilal Rana, president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which has branches all over the US.
He had spent the days helping people to clean up their homes and co-ordinating the relief efforts with his team of volunteers.
“We are using a makeshift mat to help people offer their Eid prayers,” Dr Rana said. “We also advised people to carpool because so many of them have lost their vehicles in the flooding.
“The front yard of the mosque is in bad shape, which means that there is no place to park, but the next door church has offered us their parking lot.”
The Champions Islamic Centre, also known as Masjid Al Salam, is hosting 15 people, down from a peak of 35, and although hundreds of worshippers were expected for prayers over Eid, those living there were not going anywhere.
“They are the No1 priority. They will not be disturbed, they will not be displaced, they will not be moved,” said M J Khan, president of the society, which operates mosques in Houston.
At the George R Brown Convention Centre, which gave shelter to about 10,000 people at its peak, Hasan Logan, 33, used chairs and shoes to block off a small prayer space for Muslims.
“It’s hard observing Eid but I’m going to do it,” Mr Logan said.
Ismail and Rabia Vaid have volunteered with the American Red Cross, which has run the shelter and expanded it as it doubled its 5,000-person capacity.
For several nights after their shifts ended they slept in cots set aside for volunteers and then returned to do more.
“It’s not about religion,” Mr Vaid said. “When a problem or chaos happens, whether it’s natural or man-made, as a Muslim and as humanity, we have to participate.”
Residents say they have been heartened by how the disaster has brought people of all faiths and ethnicities together.
“America has been experiencing so much unrest in relation to race and religion in the past year, but this is an experience that shows race and religion do not matter,” said Chris Sizemore, 32, a graphic designer who is a Christian and has spent the past week helping out at her local church and mosque.
“Hurricanes don’t care about religion. This one didn’t come thinking that I am going to hit only Muslims or I am going to hit only Christians. We are exhausted and sad but equally happy to be helping each other.”
From far and wide, Muslims have been raising funds to help flood victims. At the other end of the country, the Islamic Institute of America in Detroit dedicated Eid to raising money for storm victims.
Leader of the institute, imam Hassan Qazwini, said: “I believe opening your door on the day of Eid for refugees and people in need is a form of worship itself.
“Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Houston has rescued dozens of people in boats since Harvey struck the city. Now the imperative is to help those going back to flood-damaged homes to clean up, and to keep feeding and caring for those who are still unable to return.”
The faithful have helped neighbours out of the flood and their next task is to help them return to their homes