EID PRAYERS IN ABU DHABI GIVE PALESTINIANS A TASTE OF HOME
▶ Capital’s replica of the Dome of the Rock draws the faithful to morning prayers
Chants of “God is great” echoed from the mosque’s minarets as men, women and children walked calmly into the courtyard of Masjid Bani Hashim for Eid prayers.
Girls wearing new dresses and men traditionally dressed may be a typical sight at all mosques on the morning of Eid Al Adha, but this mosque in Al Maqtaa offers a little nostalgia for worshippers.
Bani Hashim mosque is a replica of Palestine’s Dome of the Rock – a factor that many families said had attracted them to pray there for years.
Asmaa Al Bayouk walked briskly into the mosque with her daughter, Bissan, 6, and son, Yaseen, 4, in tow.
“The Dome of the Rock decor reminds us of Palestine,” said the Palestinian housewife, 27.
While Ms Al Bayouk and her siblings were all born in Abu Dhabi, and have spent every Eid in the capital, she said the mosque reminded her of her extended family in Palestine.
“I have been going to Eid prayers since I was a child and I have been bringing my children to pray since they were born. Starting the day with prayers is what makes us feel the Eid atmosphere,” she said.
Older women coming to pray at the mosque distribute sweets, money and goody boxes to the children whose eyes dart around searching for the source of their next small gift.
Traditionally, adults hand cash and sweets to children during Eid, especially at morning prayers – perhaps as an incentive to wake up early.
Bissan fumbled with the Eid goody box she was given. Her perseverance paid off and soon she was counting the Dh10 bills the box contained.
Her brother tried to copy her but gave up, crawling to his mother’s side and pulling at her sleeves for help.
“After the prayers we will go to my parents’ house. All my siblings and their children and husbands will gather there. There will be 30 people at the house,” Ms Al Bayouk said.
“We will eat a traditional Eid breakfast of hummus, foul, different kinds of cheese and yoghurt.”
For lunch, she said, they would have a traditional Palestinian Eid meal: maftoul with meat. Typically, families use store-bought maftoul because the Palestinian couscous equivalent is very time-consuming to make. Bulgar wheat, white and wheat flour are soaked in hot water before being rubbed and twisted together by hand, making tiny balls that are later steamed before serving.
“My mother makes the maftoul by hand,” Ms Al Bayouk said proudly.
Her younger brothers are responsible for collecting and distributing sacrificed goat meat to their neighbours before driving around to distribute it to workers, cleaners and petrol station attendants.
“As you know the sacrifice should be distributed in thirds; one third for us, one third for relatives or neighbours, and a third for the poor,” Ms Al Bayouk said.
One of the highlights of Eid while growing up, she said, was when residents were allowed to bring a sheep home for slaughter. She said her family would tie the animal to a tree for two days before it was sacrificed.
“We were nine sisters, so we took turns guarding it. Two would take the morning shift, then go up and rest, then the other two would come down ... because this was our sheep and we didn’t want anyone to mess with it. For two days we would pamper it and feed it,” she said.
Home slaughter of livestock was banned by the municipality, for hygiene reasons, about seven years ago.
“We also used to gather all nine sisters and my mother to bake ma’moul and kaak [tra- ditional Eid sweets made with semolina and stuffed with nuts or date paste],” she said.
After prayers, Khalil Al Mansouri, his 14-year-old son, and three brothers cheerfully took selfies with the mosque’s golden dome in the background.
“We have been mostly praying here since the mosque opened [in 2010],” said the Indian expatriate, 44.
Mr Mansouri is the co-owner of the National Food Production Company and has been living in the capital since 1994. He has mostly celebrated Eid in Abu Dhabi ever since.
“This mosque reminds us of Dome of the Rock next to Al Aqsa, which is holy for us and was the Muslim’s first Qibla [direction for prayer] so we love to pray here because it looks beautiful and has a nice design,” he said.
“We also come across our neighbours and friends because we live near by.”
His brother Abuzar, 32, said he often takes photos of the mosque and sends them to his wife in India.
“When I post photos of myself here, my friends think I went to Palestine,” he said.
Having moved to the UAE 10 years ago, he feels nostalgic celebrating without friends and the rest of his family. But he said he and his brothers make sure to gather together all the same.
“Now we will go to my brother’s house, his wife will make us traditional Indian sweet sheer khurma [a vermicelli pudding made with milk and dates],” he said.
“After that we will go to the market and get the goat,” said Abu Zubair, 28, also a brother.
I have been going to Eid prayers since I was a child and have been taking my children to pray since they were born ASMAA AL BAYOUK Abu Dhabi resident
Worshippers bow their heads as the imam recites from the Quran at the Masjid Bani Hashim mosque in Abu Dhabi on the first day of Eid Al Adha yesterday