Article contributed by Annie McCann
The holy month of Ramadan is the 9th month on the Islamic Calendar. It is the holiest month of the year for Muslims as it was during the month of Ramadan when Islam was born. This is the time Muslims observe the fast during daylight hours to remember those less fortunate and to also reflect on our lives and remember to remain humble. A time for prayer, a time of family and togetherness. Of course, this year – everything has changed but one thing that shows hope during a challenging time is a beautiful collection of short stories called Once Upon an Eid, a compilation of wonderful short stories composed by Muslim authors from around the world. This was a chance to share our most sacred holiday, Eid, which marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Many call this “The Muslim Christmas” and whilst we don’t celebrate a birthday, Eid is the one word that can bring out mixed emotions and memories for the Islamic community. In this particular book, authors share what Eid can mean to them from their own perspectives and cultures. From the sound of frying samosas to the comfort of bean pie or the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, gift-giving, and holiday parties. Whatever it is, Eid is a very special day for Muslims worldwide.
As a Muslim reader and blogger, I was honoured to have received an advance copy to be one of the first readers in Australia to enjoy this amazing book. I was also very elated to see a compilation that brings positive light to our community and faith by telling stories of our most auspicious occasion. I believe this is a compilation that can be enjoyed by both Muslims and non Muslims alike as it’s told in a way that many can relate from family ties to celebration, food, and togetherness. The compilation is so cleverly constructed that includes not just short stories but a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations. The emotional responses to each experience shared in this compilation can be summed up in one word: joy
What I loved most about this compilation was how diverse it was. Although the authors were Muslim, each author was of a different culture and each story brought out many different cultures and rituals during Eid. It was amazing to discover different cultures through stories. What I also loved was how not every story was a happy story – realistically not all Muslims have the joy of really celebrating a happy Eid due to family issues, finance, or health and this too was beautifully captured in this compilation. The graphic story within the compilation was also a favourite and was quite clever. The editors did an amazing job in putting this together and I truly believe this compilation is an opportunity for Muslims to read something they can relate to as well as reach out and bridge a gap with the wider community.
Edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed, the full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina’s Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.
As you can probably tell, this book brought a lot of emotion out of me. I am so thankful this book has been created and I hope the world can share in on this.
Once Upon An Eid is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of May 5th 2020. A special thanks to The Nerd Daily and Amulet Books for sending me an Advance Review Copy of this wonderful book.
Will you be picking up Once Upon An Eid? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid!
Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift-giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.
