Photos: A world of Muslim style, for celebrating Eid in the United States
Borrowing from a range of cultures and fashions for Eid.
Image: Nushmia Khan for Quartz
By
Nushmia Khan
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“Verily, God is beautiful, and He loves beauty.” This popular saying of the Prophet Muhammad has inspired centuries of intricate dress and architecture across the Islamic world, and it manifests in a special way on Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday today (July 6) that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Many Muslims celebrate by dressing their best on Eid. The Prophet Muhammad was known to have worn his best cloak for both Eid holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Every culture has its own style: In Oman, men wear a long white robe, or dishdasha, with an embroidered cap (kumma) or turban (mussar). In Indonesia, many women wear the kebaya dress and kerudung hijab. In the West, where Eid celebrations often include diverse Muslims cultural groups in the same gathering, there is no common holiday style. Many times, people will actually wear an outfit from a Muslim culture other than their own.
Quartz met today’s congregants at an Eid prayer in Chicago’s Navy Pier, to speak about what they had chosen to wear and why.
Ahmad Amoo, 46, is wearing clothes from his home country, Ghana. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Suha (15), Mira (9), and Nuha (12) are dressed in traditional Palestinian thawebs, which they bought in Jordan. Their family is originally from Jaffa. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Abdul Brimah, is originally from Ghana. He bought his clothes in an African festival in Chicago. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Ibrahim Bawazeer, is wearing an outfit from his hometown of Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Amelia Azam is originally from South Africa. She wore clothes from India, her husband’s home country. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Kubrah Alausa is originally from Nigeria. She’s wearing a dress from Saudi Arabia. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Ruqayyah Barnes (10) is originally from Palestine. Her mom bought her a Pakistani shalwar kameez from Chicago’s Devon Avenue because she loved the colors. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Rawan Gaw, 26, moved to Chicago from Saudi Arabia. She said she chose to wear American clothes to represent the country she’s living in. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Uzma Hatia’s family is originally from Pakistan. She bought a swimsuit coverup from Net-A-Porter’s site ‘The OUTNET’ because it looked like an abaya. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Nadir Umairy wore an outfit from his home country of Saudi Arabia. His wife Saliha and daughter Amina wore outfits from Saliha’s home country, Pakistan. When asked why they wore outfits from different countries, Saliha said, “He likes his clothes, I like mine.” (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Hafsa Abdi (18) bought her dress from a Somali store in Minnesota, where she lives. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Alia Safi (30) is originally from Afghanistan. Her dress is from Saudi Arabia. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Oluwajimi Gordon (35) is half-Nigerian, half-American. He bought his outfit from Abu Dhabi. He said he chose it for eid because he wanted something “white, contemporary, and fashionable.” (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Faridah Burnett is originally from Houston. She said she couldn’t find a matching hijab, so she turned a nursing cover into a turban hijab. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
Abdul Jaleel (50) is originally from Chicago. He bought his shirt from a Muslim boutique in Chicago’s South Side. (Quartz/Nushmia Khan)
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