Eid prayer

At the end of Ramadan Muslim men pray at a special time in the morning.

It is customary that they all wear white.

After some hesitation I was able to get up with them and I was able to experience a really amazing event.

There were men pouring into the streets as they all walked to the local masgid. No one rides bikes (except me) because it is considered work, and not their custom.

There was a man blaring over the loudspeaker announcements for about 30 mins until the prayer began.

I started out standing outside the mosque, but as the group grew beyond the gates, the prayer line extended deep into the street.

I walked backward for 30 minutes, slowly further and further away. Then suddenly, there was silence...

Everyone that was running late quickly filed into position as the prayer began.

I never knew there were so many men living so close to us.

The crazy thing to think about was that this was only a small local mosque, when there are plenty others in our city that must have had even higher attendance.

Then right as the prayers stopped, the rains came... and the bottom dropped out.

It was probably surprising that these men dressed in new white white clothes were now doused in water.

May they be clothed with new fresh garments from God. May they have all their sins washed away.