This week, millions of Muslim families around the globe will be celebrating Eid al-Adha. The event translates to ‘the feast of the sacrifice’ and is celebrated two months after Eid Al-Fitr.
Eid Al-Fitr is honoured when Muslims have completed the holy month of Ramadan and translates to ‘the feast of breaking the fast’.
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Unfortunately, for the families of Sudan, it is yet another Eid where celebrations are blighted by the constant barrage of missiles and the eerie sound of gunfire.
The civil conflict in Sudan broke out on the 15th of April and shows no signs of slowing down after disagreements between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and The Sudanese Army caused the friction.
Sudanese families living in Manchester have been nervously watching what is happening in their home country from 3,000 miles away.
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Two Sudanese families spoke to the MEN about how they would be celebrating Eid with the constant worry for their loved ones hanging over them.
Salim Elfazir, 32, lives in Manchester with his wife and two children and has family members in Sudan.
He said: “Just like Ramadan, it was not really a moment we can celebrate. Yes, we will gather together and eat together but it’s not the same. We will go do our prayer as usual and pray for the best for the people in Sudan.
“For Eid, we will usually go to Sudan and celebrate there, you see the mood is completely different. It is like two opposite ends of a seesaw.
“We can maybe forget about the conflict for a few minutes or hours but it will ultimately come back at the end of the day and it’s just tiring.
“Even when we have friends over, our discussions always end up talking about the conflict in Sudan, you can’t escape it and we don’t want too but celebrations are just too difficult at the moment.”
Ahmed Mustafa, 65, is a single father of three previously living in America and now in Manchester. He has had many family members in Sudan who are caught up in the conflict, with one nephew who unfortunately passed away last month.
He said: "The last two months have been extremely difficult. I lost my nephew in the conflict and I also was in Sudan myself before coming over through the border in Egypt.
"Eid is not an option for us this year, we will celebrate and eat as it is a Muslim holiday but it doesn't feel like it. The loss of my nephew was one of the worst moments in my life, my kids were also very sad.
"I still have hope to visit my family in Sudan no matter what the outcome of the conflict is. Eid is not the same and will not be for a while and that is the unfortunate truth."
Although it is a tough time for many Sudanese around the world, the celebration is also a time to remember loved ones who lost their lives during the conflict.
Ahmed Mustafa used this celebration as a way of paying respect to his nephew stating that "he would want his family to celebrate" and to not let his death "affect our happiness."
For those families who are celebrating Eid either on Wednesday 28th June or Thursday 29th June, you can find all the prayer times for Greater Manchester.
