Aziza Ahmad finds herself with no plans for Eid al-Fitr—no family gatherings or presents for the children. In Lebanon, caught between the turmoil of war and spiraling prices, she laments, “there’s nothing to celebrate” this year as Ramadan comes to an end.
From Beirut to Dubai, and from Manama to Jerusalem, the holy month concludes on a sour note for millions of Muslims. The persistent Middle Eastern conflict casts a shadow over the festivities, dampening the spirit of those affected.
Ahmad, 49, shares a cramped and dilapidated apartment with her husband, three sons, and a total of 12 people.
“Perhaps the wealthy feel differently, but here, the joy of Eid is absent,” she remarks. “We’re without money, and those displaced have no homes to return to.”
Even before the outbreak of war, Lebanon was grappling with an economic crisis, and now local market prices have skyrocketed.
On the eve of Eid, Ahmad resorted to setting up a small pastry stand outside her home, hoping to augment her husband’s earnings from his job as a car washer.
“We won’t eat a single one; everything is for sale,” she said.
Kneading dough and crushing pistachios, the whole family was busy in the building’s entryway.
“We won’t even go out to play. Everyone is scared, Israel is striking, so we stay home,” said Yasmine, 11, a big pink ribbon in her hair.
Disruptions to life across the Gulf
In the Gulf, fear of bombings has also dampened the mood.
Long seen as the region’s safe havens, these countries have been the target of Iran’s retaliatory strikes following US-Israeli attacks on Iran from 28 February.
Nearly 30 people have been killed in Gulf states since the war broke out.
In Kuwait, authorities have temporarily banned plays, concerts and weddings during Eid al-Fitr to limit large gatherings.
Ali Ibrahim, a 41-year-old Egyptian working in Kuwait, said fewer customers than usual have turned up at stores to buy new clothes ahead of Eid.
Qatar also suspended all public events until further notice from the start of the conflict.
In the United Arab Emirates, outdoor prayers are banned for Eid and must be held inside mosques for security reasons.
Juhi Yasmeen Khan, a 53-year-old social worker from India who has lived in Dubai for nearly three decades, said “it doesn’t feel right to have a grand celebration” this year.
“Given the current situation, many of us are opting for intimate celebrations at home,” she said, adding that she would celebrate with her mother, sister and son.
“Together, we will keep the Eid spirit alive.”
‘This will surely pass’
For Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, Ramadan is incomplete this year after Israel shut Al-Aqsa Mosque, among other holy sites, over the ongoing war.
“There is a pain in our hearts because we are deprived of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” said Ihab, a 30-year-old who declined to share his last name.
This year, the lights and lanterns featuring Islamic designs, such as crescent moons, are absent from the streets.
The narrow passages of the usually bustling Old City emptied at the start of the conflict.
In Bahrain, people have been living to the sound of sirens ringing several times a day to warn of potential missile and drone threats.
At a beauty salon in the capital Manama, five-year-old Sarah waited to have her hands painted with henna ahead of Eid celebrations.
Her mother Maryam Abdullah said the war will not stop her family “from buying our Eid necessities and preparing for the holiday as we always have”.
“This will surely pass, and it won’t prevent us from enjoying the Eid atmosphere, even if it’s limited to visiting family at home,” she said.
Hessa Ahmed, a Bahraini employee in her thirties, was also intent on celebrating.
“I went shopping with my friend. We bought clothes and accessories and will prepare to celebrate Eid with family, relatives, and friends.”
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