The West Valley Muslim Association recently concluded a series of Eid celebrations, with an event in Cupertino. Eid al-Adha, one of the top two events on the Islamic calendar, brought together members of the Muslim community from across the South Bay for a day of faith and festivities, June 6.
In an interview with the Los Gatan, WVMA Executive Director Lubna Shaikh reflected not only on the Eid gathering, but also on how the organization she recently began to lead has been developing.
“We’re constantly trying to do programs for people to grow in their faith,” said Shaikh. “Our vision is to be a place of growth—spiritual, social and personal—so, we try to have our programs encompass all those things.”
She previously served on the board of the Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara.
Since stepping into her new role three years ago, she has emphasized the power that diversity and intergenerational connections play in strengthening ties within the WVMA community. At a time when religious participation has declined amongst younger generations, Shaikh says she’s sought to bridge the gap—between active mosquegoers and the less devout—by creating a space where everyone is able to exist together.
“I think just growing up at the mosque, you see people from all different countries, all different ethnicities—and just the diversity alone that you see, especially in the Bay Areas, is beautiful,” said Shaikh. “Faith brings everyone together. I think that would be the one thing that stands out.”
Although relocating from the Los Gatos Islamic Center on Farley Road, this year’s Eid observances featured a continued sense of excitement despite the venue change. After participating in a group prayer led by Imam Albaraa Basfar, celebrations included a Smashburger food truck, face painting, balloon art and more.
While Shaikh highlighted the beauty of the South Bay community, she also reflected on the somber tone this year’s Eid took amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and efforts by the Trump administration to restrict entry into the United States for people from Muslim-majority countries.
Many WVMA members are either from one of these countries, or have friends and family members currently in Palestine. Shaikh’s own father is from Libya, one of 12 countries subjected to a full entry ban.
“It’s not like we celebrate and we forget them, but we celebrate because this is what we have to do,” Shaikh said. “Celebration, in and of itself, is a form of resistance, and is a form of being.”
While Eid was not held at the mosque, the Los Gatos Islamic Center remains open as a welcoming and reflective space for residents to pray and seek community. During Ramadan, WVMA regularly hosted daily iftar dinners and prayers at the Farley Road location, allowing members to use the space for smaller-scale events.
In addition to its location in a residential neighborhood, the Los Gatos mosque has not been fully utilized due to its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after its initial opening in 2018.
Shaikh expressed her desire to move back to the Los Gatos mosque for Eid, next year. Outreach via the NextDoor social media platform and hosting a thrift store are just a couple of the methods Shaikh has attempted to integrate the town into WVMA programming.
Although these efforts have yet to fully come to fruition, Shaikh says she remains focused on fostering peace and mindfulness across the Los Gatos community in the days ahead.
“I want the mosque to be a place that people can come, and see as a refuge—and as a sanctuary,” Shaikh said. “We should be here for one another.”
