Local Illinois officials join Chicagoland Muslims for Eid Celebration at SeatGeek stadium
Every year, Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek hosts one of the largest Eid al-Fitr celebrations commemorating the end of Ramadan at SeatGeek stadium with state and local officials. This Eid celebration on Monday was one of the largest again showing how much the leadership supports the Arab and Muslim community as they do everyone
By Ray Hanania
Illinois state and local officials joined the Chicagoland Muslim Community to celebrate the end of Ramada this week joining the Bridgeview Mosque Foundation which hosted the Eid al-Fitr closing prayers to mark the end of the Ramadan Islamic holy month.
Ramadan is a holy Islamic month of prayer and fasting for Muslims. Muslims fast and pray during daytime hours that began April 1 and ended May 2, 2022, and only eat after sunset until Ramadan ends.
Each evening following the fast after the sun sets, Muslims gather with families and friends to host an Iftar, or the breaking of bread and feasting. The final breaking of the fast is Eid Al-Fitr which is held at the end of the Ramadan religious holiday and celebrated with prayers.
Nearly 10,000 Muslims from the region attended the Eid Prayers services.
Joining the Muslim community of the Southwest side of Chicago and suburbs was Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek. He was joined by Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, candidate for Congress in the new 1st District Jonathan Jackson and Congresswoman Marie Newman in the new 6th District during the celebration at SeatGeek stadium in Bridgeview.
Also joining in the prayer celebrations were Abdelnasser Rashid, who is a candidate for State Representative, and leaders of the Muslim community including Mosque Foundation Imam Jamal Said, Mosque Foundation President Oussama Jammal, Judge Rouhy Shalabi, Engineer Abder Ghouleh, Maher Khatib, and candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit Nick Kantas and ShawnTe Raines-Welch.
“We wish the Muslim Community an Eid Mubarak,” said Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek using the Arabic term of “Happy Holiday” as they welcomed the nearly 10,000 Muslims who came for the prayers Monday between 7 AM and 2 PM at the SeatGeek stadium at 71st and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview.
“We are very proud of the Muslims in our communities and we are all honored to be here to join you in this important celebration and prayer at this important religious event which celebrates the conclusion of Ramadan.”
After the meeting, Imam Jamal Said led the gathering to the stadium grounds where he conducted prayers for the more than 10,000 Muslims who gathered to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr.
Photos courtesy of the Village of Bridgeview
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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