The Islamic Centre of Yellowknife came alive early Friday morning as worshippers arrived to pray and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

Zainab Oladipupo wore a new blue abaya — a long flowy robe-like dress — embellished with silver sparkling accents. 

“It’s part of the Sunnah that you wear your best outfit to the Eid,” she said, laughing. “So I specifically got a new outfit.” 

Sunnah refers to the practices, habits and teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

Oladipupo said her plan for the day included catching up on sleep she missed during Ramadan, while fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Ministers offer Palestinian dates

Friday’s attendees at the Islamic centre included Marc Miller, the Canadian identity and Culture minister, and Rebecca Alty, the Crown-Indigenous Relations minister.

Alty offered the mosque’s imam a box of Palestinian dates, saying it symbolizes the sweetness of Eid.

Dates hold a special place for Muslims who often break their fast during Ramadan with the fruit.

Alty said the dates gave her the “opportunity to say ‘thanks for having me’ and wishing everyone a sweet and full blessing of the year.”

While children’s laughter and chatter of adults filled the mosque, some people noted Eid this year was a “little” sombre because of the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.

Miller also acknowledged the intertwined feelings of celebration and mourning for some.

“My heart goes out to all people who are seeing the suffering of Muslims around the world,” he said. 

Nazim Awan, a Yellowknife resident, said he supports the Iranian community.

Awan said he appreciated Miller and Alty came to celebrate the mosque to show solidarity with the Yellowknife’s Muslim community.

“It shows that we are fully supported and it also shows that the government is aware of this culturally significant day [for Muslims],” he said.

A mosque years in the making

This was the first Eid the community was celebrating at the centre, and people brought food, including sandwiches and samosas to share after the prayer. 

The Muslim community in Yellowknife was without a mosque since 2019, when the previous one was demolished to make way for the new building. 

Although construction began in 2020, the project faced several setbacks including COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 wildfires evacuation and funding constraints.

For Oladipupo, it was surreal to be celebrating Eid at the mosque.

“It was a very good opportunity to come to worship with other people,” she said.