Eid cookies for September 11th

We British Muslims are not as patriotic as our American cousins. We don't say proudly 'there's nowhere else we'd rather live', or 'our prime minister is kh'amazing' or 'the UK promotes morals, tolerance and equity'. Quite frankly, and this goes for the English in particular, we really are as lukewarm as you think.

Since the current hot Muslim topics in the news are mostly surrounding the Islamic centre in New York, terrorism, Muslims trying to take over the world, terrorism, burn a Qur'an day, the Shariah, terrorism and terrorism - the media is having a field day with 'Eid on September 11th. Interestingly, that hasn't affected relations on our Euro-island. Not only because the catastrophes of Sep 11th 2001 are American wounds, but because in England, (mostly) everyone knows Islam had nowt to do with it. That coward of a pastor got his 15 minutes of fame and we've all moved on.

However, there are racists and bigots everywhere. Where there is man, there is Shaytaan. Usually it's an ill-informed cab driver that scoffs something perverse or an angry woman in a queue that complains against the niqab, which reminds us that blind hate breeds more.

I for one cannot mention that Eid will falls today on September 11th this year for many Muslims, not from fear of how people will react, but from a typical English 'I can't be ars*d' explaining it to'em attitude. On the upside, it is a gigantic PDO moment: Potential Dawah Opportunity. I could tell my fellow Brits the Islamic calendar is lunar and shifts every year through science therefore making living more active. I could continue: because of this it just so happens that the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the new month Shawwal falls on 11th September, thus our only Muslim celebration coincides with history's most talked about destruction. It's all in God's plans, subhanAllah. Celebrating on a day that others will mourn is the issue; are we dancing on others' pain? No. Muslims are part of that wound - Muslims were killed on the twin towers attack, there was a Muslim prayer room in the buildings; if the 'other' hurts, we hurt. That's how humanity is supposed to work. Needless, we will always make dua` for the suffering, the departed, the troubled and the ignorant. Or perhaps, as Hamzah Moin beautifully states: We should just cancel Eid to please America.

On a happier tune, I baked these gingerbread men for the Eid festival on the 10th and 11th September. I've posted some out to friends and family and hope you receive them soon insha'Allah. When you do, email me a photo of them!