By Monica Chen

mchen@heraldsun.com; 419-6636

DURHAM -- Chaotic as it was inside the Durham Armory on Sunday, where some 800 men, women and energetic children gathered, when the prayer began, the 30 or so Duke University students who were in attendance knelt calmly.

They clasped their hands, then put their heads to their prayer rugs, and then sat as Amr Dabbour, imam of the mosque Jamaat Ibad Ar-Rahman in Durham, gave his sermon for Eid al-Fitr, beseeching everyone to stay on the straight path.

Speaking of Allah, Jesus and others, Ar-Rahman said, "We do not follow any person on Earth other than these. These are the true examples for humanity to follow."

He urged everyone to contribute to their community -- for women to take the lead in their homes, for men to take care of their families and for the young to be happy and look to the future.

"The hearts of youths are like the hearts of birds," he said.

Eid al-Fitr is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, and focuses on unity within the family and unity in the community at large.

After Dabbour's sermon, the crowd stood, gathered their belongings and turned to hug friends and family and kiss each other on the cheeks.

The breaking of the fast was also marked by ample quantities of food and drinks at the armory. The group of Duke students, led by Abdullah Antepli, the Muslim chaplain and a professor of Islamic Studies at Duke, also headed to Elmo's Diner afterward.

The students said the holiday is much like Christmas for them. Many members of the organization, the Center for Muslim Life, actually headed home to be with family for the holiday. Those who stayed at Duke were from places too far away to go for a weekend trip.

Dima Ikhwan, a senior economics major who wore a purple, white and gold robe called the jalabiah, is from Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony in Durham was similar to the one back home, she said, except for the size and the diversity. Muslims of different nationalities gathered at the armory on Sunday morning, with some women donning jalabiahs like Ikhwan, others putting on headscarves before praying, and still others who were covered head to toe in black burqas.

Some of the men came wearing suits, while others wore sweaters and khakis.

Attendance within the Center for Muslim Life has increased since Antepli's arrival about two years ago, said Yousef Abugharbieh, also a senior.

The group had taken a bus to the ceremony, originally planning to attend the Raleigh festivities held on the state fairgrounds. They had arrived too late for the first prayer there, so they turned the bus around and went to the armory in Durham instead.

Ahmad Jitan, a senior, and others prayed on the bus together in advance of the ceremony. Jitan played emcee for the trip, cracking jokes and stirring up the crowd.

"This holiday is about fixing bonds in the community," he said.