At Orange County’s largest Eid al-Fitr celebration, hosted by the Islamic Society of Orange County, a large crowd kicked off festivities with prayers in the Huntington Beach Sports Complex baseball fields.
Led by Muzammil Siddiqi, who has served as the religious director at the Islamic Society of Orange County for 40 years, this year’s prayers featured two new additions: a separate section for seniors and an area for those who use American Sign Language.
Prayers began at 9 a.m. — other mosques typically start prayers earlier — to accommodate mothers and children who might require more time to get ready in the morning, said Hassan Mukhlis, the Eid prayer committee chair.
The celebrations culminated with a festival, complete with a reptile display, bubble show and bounce houses for children. At the complex’s food court, halal food was served to meet Muslims’ dietary restrictions, Mukhlis said.
About 5,000 people attended Friday’s celebration, organizers said.
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