More than 750 join for Family Eid Picnic in Farmington

by Noor H. Salem

 Ramadan gathered many people to the masjid for iftars and nightly prayers, with heavy hearts and high anticipation to maximize worship in the blessed month. With the farewell of Ramadan came the Eid prayer, which gathered communities, families, and smiles from across the globe.

Nonetheless, many in Farmington Hills look forward to the annual family Eid picnic at ICA, the Islamic Cultural Association. More than 750 people that joined on Sunday, and it was definitely a beautiful gathering for all ages.

The scorching hot sun did not stop anyone from having fun, in fact, the water slide and water balloon fight worked perfectly for the youth and children. The smell of fresh barbeque was mouthwatering, but an extremely long line formed for fresh shawarma sandwiches in the meantime. An intense game of volleyball was played, and was the spotlight of the picnic. As adults relaxed and enjoyed social time, children jumped on moonwalks, made fresh smores on a grill, and enjoyed water games. It definitely was amusing to find some hardcore sports fans, who were indoors watching the World Cup.

The Islamic Cultural Association of Farmington Hills was founded by a group of families who hoped to establish an Islamic community that modeled their beliefs and values.  In 1987, the community purchased the Franklin Building and moved to its present location. Two years later, it established the prestigious Huda School which has flourished over the years. The ICA created a weekend Arabic School, Dar-al Huda. The ICA has continued to grow and expand, offering its members an Islamic environment where they can feel at home and raise their children with hearts at ease.  Since its inception, the ICA has held various school and family functions for the occasions that matter most to its members—such as Ramadan and Eid—as well as exciting activities for the whole family.  It has also prided itself in offering weekly Islamic and educational lectures and maintaining a youth program that has been going strong for years. The ICA hopes to continue to expand by offering more services that the community can benefit from.

Countless smiles were shared, numerous water balloons were thrown, and plenty of memories were made. As Maghrib prayer came in, the family picnic came to an end. Although the next family picnic is a year away, the community anticipates many more incredible events prior.

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.