Once Upon an Eid

by S.K. Ali

“I just want Hawa to be proud of all the parts of who she is.” Mom looked hard at me. “You are Black American and Mandinka. Both are strong cultures. Love all of you, Hawa.”

the things you give away make you happier than the things you keep for yourself.”

“Anytime you share something you love, it comes right back to you like a boomerang. You never lose it. Just wait and see.”

Dad scratched his head. “It’s a bike.” “Umm, Dad?” Kareem said. “This isn’t just any bike. This is a Super Speedster X bike. It’s exactly like the one I just bought. Like, exactly exactly. It’s even the same color.” “Well, that’s a strange coincidence,” said Dad. “Anyway, I already have a great bike in storage. Since you inspired my design idea, the bike is yours.” There’s no way this is a coincidence. This must be the boomerang Teta told me about. An Eid boomerang.

Special days start when you run toward them.

“There are a lot of ways to show our faith and love to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. You pick the ones that are right for who you are right now.”

“If we can be strong enough to resist the stuff Allah has allowed, it makes it easier to resist the stuff that’s forbidden. I know Ramadan makes me appreciate the things He gave us that I usually take for granted, like food and water.”

Sulaymaan reaches over and reads the little slip of paper from the box out loud. “God said: ‘Every deed a person does will receive ten to seven hundred times reward, except fasting, for it is for Me, and I shall reward it. There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast, and the other when he will meet his Lord.’”

“always look beyond what your eyes initially recognize and find out what is real, what is possible, and what is the truth.”