As I left for the Eid Prayer on the early morning of Eid Al-Fitr, my husband and I begin making the Eid Takbeers through all of the traffic and the stop lights. I was feeling quite content, it was after all, Eid. But not only Eid, I had been to many other Eid prayers before...this one was somehow different for me. 

Since I have converted to Islam almost seven years ago, it has taken me quite sometime to begin to comprehend the greatness of this religion and to study it a little more in-depth. It has taken some time to understand why and how we do certain things as Muslims. Also, it has taken some time for this holiday to have a deep meaning for me as well as time for me to grow as a Muslim. I began thinking about another reason why this Eid was different for me. I realize now that it was also very special because I was going to the Eid prayer where I knew almost everyone there, almost as though they were my close family (and for many converts to Islam that means a great deal). 

As my husband and I arrived at the place of the prayer and we looked to see a good friend of my husband's directing the traffic. We parked and I walked towards the prayer area, it was such a peaceful morning. I entered the prayer area, and I was greeted by a couple of sisters that I know to be kind-hearted and Masha'Allah, pious Muslimahs. They were directing the other sisters towards the Qibla and directing them to remove their shoes from the court area as they passed through the big doors of the gymnasium. My job was handing out the Takbeer sheet to al those entering. As I stood by the entrance door, saying, "As-salaamu Alaykum, Eid Mubarak and Taqabballahu Mina wa Minkum (Peace be upon you, Happy Eid and May Allah accept your good deeds and mine)", everyone was smiling and joyful. Some sisters grabbed me with delight hugging me and others shaking my hand enthusiastically. SubhanAllah, I couldn't help but feel so strong in my Eemaan as I was on this last Eid day. A feeling of trust, and a feeling of closeness that you cannot experience in any other way. 

I had been a Christian before, and had been to the Christian celebrations and through all the hoopla surrounding it, not a shred of a similar feeling ever existed as on the Eid. A thought of the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) where he had told the us, after seeing the people of Madinah had two holidays they celebrated before Eid, he said, "Allah has given you better than those (feasts): The Eid Al-Udhaa and the Eid Al-Fitr" [Ahmad, Abu Dawoud & Nasaa'ee]