Bassel Balouk, a Syrian immigrant and owner of Chamya, pours Turkish style coffee that is heated in a pan filled with sand on July 22, 2023, at the Islamic New Year and Night Market Festival in Orange. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
A new year has begun for Muslims across the world.
Islamic New Year celebrations are a rarity for some across Southern California but one local Orange County youth group came together this weekend to change that.
On Saturday, a night market and festival was hosted at Portola Middle School for local residents to ring in the 1445th Islamic New Year together as a community.
Over 2,000 people attended the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market hosted by Muslim Youth OC to play carnival games, eat food, buy clothes and jewelry, learn to box and celebrate the occasion as a community.
Hoping to start a new celebratory tradition, the youth group has been organizing and planning the event since early April.
Nasheed Mashari, an Islamic chant group, performed and taught attendees the history and meaning about the new year.
Nasheed Mashari, an Islamic chant group sings to the crowd at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
Islamic New Year or Hijri in Arabic marks the start of a new 12 month lunar year for Muslims around the world and derives its name from Prophet Muhammad’s migration from the holy cities of Mecca to Medina.
Based on the moon, the Islamic calendar runs for 12 months and is about 11 days shorter than the solar based Gregorian calendar, which most OC residents observe.
This year, Hijri fell on July 19.
Rabab Khan and Nameera Syeda, two sisters, were among the many vendors that made up Saturday’s night market.
Syeda and Khan are owners of Desi Zaika – a home based business that whips up and sells Indian and Pakistani foods.
For Khan, Hijri marks the opportunity for a fresh start.
“As Muslims, it’s the start of a new year and it’s important from a religious point of view,” she said.
Rabab Khan, left, and Nameera Syeda, right, attend the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market as vendors of their shop, Desi Zaika on July 22, 2023. The two sisters sell Indian and Pakistani foods, such as Paan, a dessert that has rose petals, fennel seeds and chopped betel leaf. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
Food wasn’t the only thing on the menu Saturday.
Ahmad Ibrahim, a Palestinian American Muay Thai boxer and a World Boxing Council Champion, also was there giving out free lessons.
Ibrahim said that celebrating Islamic New Year in America is not a social norm but events like this help change that.
“Bringing awareness to this just gives us another way to shine bright and kind of change the social norms of what people think Muslims are. We’re just normal people having a fun time on a fun night,” he said.
Ahmad Ibrahim, a Palestinian American muay thai boxer and a World Boxing Council Champion, coaches a festival goer on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
At the same booth, Hanan “Chubz” Abo Abdo – the Palestinian Brazilian American owner of Chubz Bakery – was selling cookies after the boxing lesson.
She said it’s important to bring attention to Muslim holidays and celebrations like Eid, Ramadan and Hijri.
“This should be a big deal. This is our New Year,” Abo Abdo said. “I’m Muslim and I’m proud.”
Hanan “Chubz” Abo Abdo, the Palestinian Brazilian American owner of Chubz Bakery, at her vendor stand at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
People of all ages attended the night market including 12-year-olds Seewa Alqzah and Genesis Bernabe who are about to attend Sycamore Junior High.
Alqzah brought Bernabe to the festival to teach her friend about Muslim culture.
Seewa Alqzah,12, left, and Genesis Bernabe, 12, right, at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
For Alqzah and Bernabe, one of the best parts of the celebration was the food.
“I like that everyone is really nice, all the booths and how many people came out,” Alqzah said.
Others like Mohammad Ibrahim, a 16-year-old attending Sunny Hills High School, coming to the festival was an opportunity to hang out with friends and have fun.
Mustafa K, 16, Mohammad Ibrahim, 16, Omar,18, Ayub, 12, Iman Hammoud, 20, Ruwaida Said, 23, Yusra Said, 21, at the Islamic New Year and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023.
But for the Lebanese, Muslim American, it also has a greater significance.
“It’s been a cultural thing for many years and it’s important to pass on the tradition,” Mohammad said.
Here is a look at the celebration that took place this year:
Anais Gizmo, 3, plays in her fathers car at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
From left, Suaab Al, 50, Ghadeer Abaas, 30, Adam Rodriguez, 3, Dema Saad, 9 and Yasameen Nawaf, 36, attend the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCGee Gizmo, 32, and his daughter, Anais Gizmo, 3, park their “Free Palestine” car at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market on July 22, 2023. Gizmo calls his car his “revolutionary car” because it invites people to talk about Palestine, “it’s for the kids mainly, there’s a lot of kids getting killed every day.” Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
Paan, a dessert that has rose petals, fennel seeds and chopped betel leaf is sold by vendors Desi Zaika on July 22, 2023, at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
A young child points towards the sky during the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCShawarma, thin sliced meats placed on top of eachother, is roasted slowly throughout the day at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCMediterranean desserts such as Baklava, are displayed for customers on July 22, 2023.Mediterranean desserts at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCYasameen Nawaf, 36, at the Islamic New Year Festival in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCA young child hydrates with a cold sugarcane drink at the Islamic New Year Festival and Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCChildren run through the Night Market in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCThe seating area of the Islamic New Year Festival in Orange on July 22, 2023. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OCLeft, Armbay Zakaria, 48, and Dotee Zakaria, 44, serve up Syrian street food under their pop-up, “Nawal”. While operating in Los Angeles, the Armbay realized how special it was to accept the invitation to vend. “It (celebrating Islamic New Year) doesn’t happen enough, its great that young people are getting together, and its important because you don’t hear about events like this ever, so this is nice,” said Armbay. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
