This week Michigan Bangladeshis celebrated Eid Al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice marking the end of the hajj and the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim. Fiber artist Fatema Haque is looking for submissions for an art exhibition featuring Bangladeshis. A candidate forum kicks off at Halmich Park for Warren candidates. Meanwhile, an air quality alert is in effect throughout Michigan due to the Canadian wildfire smoke. Stay indoors to stay safe.
Muslims perform hajj to worship God, commemorate Prophets Ibrahim and Muhammad
Muslims are ending the pilgrimage to Mecca this week, which ends with Eid Al-Adha.
Photo credit: Adli Wahid, Pixabay
This year’s hajj season wraped up this week.
Performing hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. It’s mandatory for those who can afford it to make the journey at least once in their lifetime. There are two billion Muslims in the world.
Imam Suleiman Hani of the Islamic Center of Detroit says people perform hajj as an act of worship to commemorate Prophets Ibrahim and Muhammad.
“It brings together the global Muslim community — usually several million people are there from all corners of the world…and it shows the diversity of the Muslim nation, the Muslim ummah… synchronizing a profound ritual before God,” Hani says.
Hajj takes place during Dhul Hijjah, the 12th Islamic month of the year based on the lunar calendar. During the pilgrimage, people circle around the Kaaba, the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and follow other rituals.
Hani says the rituals symbolize the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice for God.
“He went through the trials he was given to sacrifice everything of this world for God for the Creator. And so this requires us as we’re doing these physical rituals to be connected spiritually, to the meaning behind them,” Hani explains.
Hani says it’s also a time for Muslims to reflect on their willingness to sacrifice to connect with God.
“We believe as Muslims in sacrificing for the sake of God, and that requires us to have self-discipline to be healthy physically, spiritually, and excellent in our character towards other people,” states Hani.
Many Muslims fast during the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, considered the holiest days in Islam.
Hani says that people who cannot perform the hajj this year can participate by fasting, increasing charity, and sacrificing an animal to distribute its meat to those in need.
“A lot of meat and a lot of food is (sic) being donated generously to homeless shelters to different organizations and through different community centers,” Hani states.
Wednesday was Eid Al-Adha, the holiday that marks the hajj’s end. Muslims celebrate Eid with prayer, visiting family and friends, and sharing food. Eid carnivals will also be held across Southeast Michigan.
The original version of this story was published in WDET. Listen here.
Your story matters. Submit a photo for an art exhibition featuring Michigan Bangladeshis.
I’m Fatema Haque, a Bangladeshi-American fiber artist and educator. I am collecting photographs of Bangladeshi people who immigrated to Michigan for an upcoming art exhibition at a local gallery. The purpose of the exhibition is to highlight our rich legacy of migration and settlement in the state of Michigan, whether we immigrated directly from Bangladesh or settled here from another state. The exhibition will feature photos submitted by Bangladeshi Michiganders and a selection of hand-embroidered art based on the photos.
Image of University of Michigan graduate student Abdul Majid Khan (MSE 1978) in the late 1970s enjoying a picnic on campus with his wife, Rubaiya Khan. Photo submitted by Adil Khan.
I’ve been fascinated with history and preservation ever since I can remember, and my hope with this is to celebrate the daily lives of Bangladeshi Michiganders, whether it’s picnicking on campus or parents returning home from the hospital with a newborn. Through embroidered portraits of people in the community, I aim to preserve the diversity and beauty of the people who’ve chosen to make this state their home.
Hand-embroidered portrait by Fatema Haque
I decided to embroider portraits of Bangladeshis because I didn’t see many of us represented in the fine arts. These pieces typically take 50-100 hours to complete. Growing up, I watched my aunts and grandmothers create nakshi kantha (quilts), decorative throw pillows, birth announcements, and more using fabrics. My artwork pays homage to the way South Asian women use embroidery as a form of self-expression. Their artistic legacies inform and inspire my work.
Image of Mohammed Haque from his first visa application to the United States (1989). Submitted by Fatema Haque.
Power determines whose history is preserved. My goal is to use my power as an artist to conserve a piece of our history. I believe this project will help create a sense of belonging in this state.
I’m looking to create 10 portraits for this art exhibition and display twenty photographs. If you have photos of your early days in Michigan, please consider submitting a few images. Submit here by July 14, 2023.
Embroidered portraits and photographs will be displayed at a local art gallery Summer 2024. More details to come soon.
Community News:
APIA Vote Michigan is hosting a City Council Candidate Forum for Warren’s District 1 and 2 candidates. The event is this afternoon from 6-8 p.m. at Halmich Park. Other candidate forums are scheduled throughout July.
Miftaah is hosting an Eid Carnival next Saturday, July 8 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Miftaah Campus in Warren. Tickets are on sale here.