Southall April 2023 — On Eid morning, the women’s section at Abu Bakr Mosque in Southall filled quickly. Prayer mats lined the floor, the smell of attar mixed with fresh henna, and chatter in Punjabi and Urdu echoed softly as women adjusted their dupattas and guided children to sit beside them.
For many Pakistani women in Southall, attending Eid prayers has become more than a ritual — it is now part of their identity in Britain.
“I never went for Eid salah in Lahore,” said Farah, a 35-year-old mother of three. “Yahan Southall main, meri betiyan raat ko hi kapray nikal kar rakh leti hain. They wake me up before Fajr, saying, ‘Ammi jaldi karo, masjid jaana hai.’ This is their excitement. For me, it feels ajeeb but beautiful — something I never experienced in Pakistan.”
Sharing Food, Sweets, and Stories
After the prayers ended, women embraced one another with Eid Mubarak, henna-stained hands raised in dua. Plastic tubs of homemade food appeared, passed from one hand to another.
“I made seviyan and pakoray last night,” laughed Ayesha, who came with her teenage niece. “Mere husband ne kaha kyun le kar ja rahi ho, but I told him, ‘Yehi toh Southall ki Eid hai — sab share karte hain.’ Eating together here makes me remember my nani’s house back in Faisalabad.”
Samina, balancing her shopping bag with her daughter clinging to her dupatta, said she stopped at the mosque before rushing for last-minute groceries. “Abhi fresh chicken le kar jaungi. Masjid ke bagal se hi shops khulti hain, sab auratein pehle dua karti hain phir shopping. It’s like a routine here.”
Passing Faith to the Next Generation
For many younger mothers, the emphasis was on teaching children. Mariam, originally from Faisalabad, explained: “At home, Eid ka matlab hai gifts aur khaana. But I bring my son and daughter here so they see it starts with salah. They play, they eat, but they must know the asal cheez is prayer. Otherwise, Eid ka maza adhoora hai.”
Her daughter interrupted shyly, tugging at her sleeve: “Ammi, mithai kab milegi?” prompting laughter from the group.
Elder women shared their reflections too. Shabana, in her sixties, recalled: “Multan main, hamare ilaqay mein, auratein Eid salah nahi jaati thin. Here, jab main apni betiyon aur potiyan ko saath le kar aati hoon, dil ko sukoon milta hai. Yeh nayi generation ziada strong hogi apni faith mein.”
Eid Spirit in Southall
Outside Abu Bakr Mosque, the pavements were alive. Children clutched balloons, women posed for quick photos on their phones, and greetings flowed freely. Nearby sweet shops had boxes of jalebi and gulab jamun stacked to the ceiling, with women queuing to buy mithai before heading home.
“Eid yahan alag hai,” said Naima, a university student. “In Pakistan, I would just follow my parents. Yahan, I decide myself to come for salah. It gives me confidence. Southall ki Eid ka apna hi maza hai.”
The spirit of togetherness stretched beyond prayer. Donation boxes for Pakistan flood relief were placed at the mosque entrance. Women quietly slipped in notes and coins. “Eid khushi ka din hai,” said Samina softly, “but hamain un logon ko bhi yaad rakhna chahiye jo mushkil mein hain.”
A Celebration of Faith and Belonging
By mid-morning, as the crowd began to thin, women hugged one another one last time before heading home. “Southall is our apna Pakistan,” Farah said as she gathered her daughters. “Here, when we pray and celebrate together, it feels like Lahore, Karachi, and Multan have all come here.”
اردو خلاصہ:
ساؤتھال ابو بکر مسجد میں پاکستانی خواتین نے بڑی تعداد میں عیدالفطر کی نماز ادا کی۔ خواتین نے ایک دوسرے کو مٹھائیاں اور کھانے بانٹے، بچوں کو ساتھ لائیں اور بزرگ خواتین نے کہا کہ نئی نسل کو یہ روایت مزید مضبوط کرے گی۔ خواتین نے کہا کہ ساؤتھال میں عید کا اپنا ہی مزہ ہے، گویا پاکستان یہیں زندہ ہے۔
