I was wondering how the situation in Egypt would affect use of the word, since it is part of Hosni Mubarak' s name. Sure enough, it is complicating things, according to this news article.
In my zeal to express myself, I also jumped the gun by saying, "Eid Mubarak," or "Blessed Eid," a greeting appropriate to Eid Al-Fitr, the three-day festival marking the end of Ramadan, not the beginning.
My faux pas has me thinking I should have reviewed the details ahead of time, instead of just popping into the restaurant whose owners I wanted honor with good wishes.
As our cultural diversity increases, it behooves us to learn more about the important observances of our neighbors and friends of other faiths or backgrounds. It is much easier to do so in this age of online information and instant communication.
So let me now amend my greeting to Ramadan Kareem, for my friends from Egypt and all others in Plainfield who will be observing Ramadan 2011.
--Bernice
I'm sure if anything they appreciated the effort on your part and the good wishes...good intentions still mean something to many people in this world!
ReplyDeleteBernice,
ReplyDeleteIntentions mean everything in Al-Islam. Thanks for the acknowledgement of Ramadan. Both expressions are acceptable and appreciated. Let's leave the politics out of it.
Siddeeq W. El-Amin