Eid al adha: The reason for my 10 day vacation/ holiday
Eid
is an important 3-day religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to honor the willingness of ʾIbrāhīm (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismā'īl (Ishmael) as an act of obedience
to God, before God intervened to provide him
with a ram to sacrifice instead. Men, women and children are expected to dress
in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer in a large congregation is an open waqf field or mosque. Those Muslims,
who can afford, sacrifice their best halal domestic animals (usually a cow, but
can also be a camel, goat, sheep depending on the region) as a symbol of
Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son. This tradition accounts
for more than 100 million slaughtering of animals in only 2 days of Eid costing
over $3 billion US.
Well,
Christmas like Eid al adha is a hugely popular holiday celebrated by some 2
billion people worldwide. It's become
such an ingrained part of modern culture that even people in nations with
little or no Christian history or tradition are celebrating it in increasing
numbers. Christmas is so big that it
plays a key role in the economies of many nations. Oh “Black Friday” so many
wait for thee!
Some similarities
between Eid al adha and Christmas:
1.
Children are given gifts when they visit relatives and friends homes
2.
People have big feast and invite many visitors
3.
People go out and spend money that they don’t really have to celebrate
4.
Many celebrate only out of tradition or obligation, not religious
belief
While
I’m not against religious worship, I realize I’m against any holiday(s) that obliges
people to spend above their means and/or make people who have very little feel
shameful about their financial situation. Being away from it can cause one to
realize the behavior is neither missed nor needed for fulfillment and enjoyment
of life. This is the first time I’ve
gotten a glimpse into the Muslim culture so (without being judgmental), I
honestly can’t understand why people who don’t make tons of money would go out
and purchase gifts for other people’s kids (some of which don’t even deserve presents)
just to say they celebrated this holiday.
Isn’t it enough to show how much you love them in other ways?
Lack of Customer Service – Does it have something to do with my
skin color?
You never get a second chance to make a good first
impression" still holds true today, especially in the hospitality
industry, and equally important is the guest's lasting impression. I thought that the customer service quality
in nyc was questionable at times, but now I can fully appreciate how good customer
service makes your eating, shopping, or browsing experience a lot more pleasurable. Race is not and should not
be a distinguishing factor in how a person is greeted, treated, waited upon, or
addressed. Unfortunately Im finding that
to be very different in a country where most brown people are servants or laborers.
For me customer service should be colorblind. People should be
treated equally, regardless of skin color.
I should feel comfortable no matter where I go and it should means
that the rules of business apply the same to one and all. A simple smile, an
acknowledgement, and occasional pleasant small talk when I enter a place of
business is the only affirmation I need on a daily basis. I should not have to feel like I fight for
respect and proper treatment every time I enter a store. I have gone into places with many of my white
friends and have seen the kind of treatment they receive simply because of their
skin color and the connotation associated with them. It is off putting to say the least….come on
Doha step your game up!
Exploring Doha
This week I went on a mini-tour of the city of Doha. After living here for over 10 weeks, I
realized that I haven’t seen much of the surrounding city. Here are the things I was able to do on my
vacation for Eid al adha:
1.
Islamic Art Museum
2.
Visit the Souq Waqif
3.
Corniche
4.
Dhow Boat ride
5.
Diva Spa Lounge
Check out the pictures……definitely glad I took the time to
explore the city. Although Doha is a lot
smaller than nyc, it does have little gems. 
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