Suheb Mussa, 1, and his mom Meriem attend Eid al-Fitr, a a prayer celebration that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

About 20,000 worshippers come together at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017 to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The event was peaceful with no protesters as in the previous year.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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About 20,000 people attend the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayer service in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Regina Murdaah of Irvine and her 12-year-old daughter Sarah take part in Eid al-Fitr, the ending of the holy month of Ramadan. This is the first year Sarah fasted. “It’s a big accomplishment.,” her mom said. “It’s tough but if you have faith and know why you’re doing it — to get closer to Allah.” About 20,000 worshippers attended the peaceful event at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Women pray in Angel Stadium during the Eid-Ul-Fitr event marking the end of the month of Ramadan and fasting. About 20,000 worshippers took part in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. Kareem Azab, 2, stands next to his mom, at left.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)



People enter Angel Stadium to attend the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayer service marking the end of the Ramadan in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

About 20,000 worshippers come together at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017 to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The event was peaceful with no protesters as in the previous year.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Men take part in Eid-Ul-Fitr, a service marking the end of Ramadan. About 20,000 people attended the peaceful event at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Women bow their heads in prayer during Eid-Ul-Fitr, a service marking the end of Ramadan. About 20,000 people attended the peaceful event in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

About 20,000 worshippers come together at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, June 25, 2017 to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The event was peaceful with no protesters as in the previous year.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)



A girl waves to someone in the crowd of about 20,000 people during the Eid-Ul-Fitr prayer service marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Sunday, June 25, 2017. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

ANAHEIM A parade of diversity that is Islam in Southern California was on full display at Angel Stadium on Sunday for the annual Eid prayer celebration.

Signaling the end of Ramadan, a period of fasting and reflection, Eid-a-fitr is a festive, worldwide celebration in Islam. In Orange County, a crowd of about 20,000 filled the stadium’s field and spilled into the stands for Southern California’s largest Eid prayer service. Several regular attendees said this year’s gathering was the biggest crowd they had seen.

The field was filled with a symphony of languages and cultures from the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the United States. Attendees were of all ages. The garb and style covered a swath of colors and East-meets-West combinations, such as the man wearing neon colored sunglasses and tennis shoes with his kufti hat.

There were young men in three-piece suits with women with modern hairdos and dresses, and older men with beards and traditional thobe and abaya garments and women with hijabs and burkas.

What they shared was a unity of spirit.

“You see people of all races and many cultures her, but we’re all Americans,” said Omar Siddiqui, an attorney running for Congress. “Most of us were born here.”

Dr. Munaf Kadri was born in India but raised and educated in Orange County and went to medical school at UC Irvine. He was part of a group of medical students who helped create the University Muslim Medical Association, which created two community clinics in South Los Angeles with a third on the way that seeing under-served residents.

“We’re a generation that grew up here,” said Kadri, of Yorba Linda, who is on the UMMA Community Clinic board, and said the clinic provides services with Islamic ideals. “We try to treat everyone as we would like to be treated.”

Shabbir Mansuri of Fountain Valley is an educator and founding director of the Institute on Religion & Civic Values. He said Muslims as a large minority in the United States are beneficiaries of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 and as such relative newcomers to the American societal fabric.

That can account in part for some of the difficulties Muslims have had assimilating. But Mansuri added that his fellow Muslims should be grateful because “You have a place at the table.”

Unlike last year, when protesters tried to disrupt attendees on the outskirts of the event, held outdoors in the stadium parking lot, this year’s event went off without a hitch.

Anyone seeking entry had to have a ticket and all passed through metal detectors.

Issa Edah-Tally, the event director, admitted that security was a concern, particularly after reports started coming in about a car crashing into celebrants of an Eid in England, injuring six. Although officials did not believe that was terror-related, it comes only a week after a van injured 10 people when it rammed into worshipers in London, an incident believed to be terror-related.

“Our faith is under attack,” Edah-Tally said. “We have no idea where such hideous attacks come from, but we condemn them.”

Ismail Sameer, 23, from Garden Grove, said he does not respond when he hears anti-Islamic rhetoric.

“I just don’t listen,” he said. “I don’t give them the time.”

Given the political and media climate, some attendees and families were hesitant to talk with reporters, although one offered room on his family prayer mat for a reporter to share.

After prayers, Muzammil Siddiqui of the Islamic Society of Orange County spoke about the values and principles of his faith.

“We are Muslims and our actions must be Islamic,” he said. “And evil cannot be Islamic.”

In many cases, Muzammil Siddique said, the faith has been hijacked, literally and figuratively.

“Some use Islamic slogans, they are not Islam,” he said. “No one should be deceived by them.”

The Eid is sponsored by three Orange County mosques: the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove, the Islamic Institute of Orange County in Anaheim and the Islamic Center of Irvine.

The combining of the large congregations makes for a big party every year.

Minzah Malik of Huntington Beach attended with her mother, husband and two children. As she waved to passersby, she said, aside from the prayer service, which is segregated by gender, “It’s a very united event.”

As for the challenges of being Muslim in the United States she said, “We have to be a little more vigilant, but life goes on.”