Eid Mubarak! Muslims all across Africa are yet again preparing for their Sallah festivities, and in these preparations, the usual activities come into play: rams are cooked to perfection, colourful attires are donned, Eid prayers are said with reverence, and the joy of it all is shared amongst family and friends. While tradition is wonderful, integrating healthy innovations into festivities has its place, and in the era of AI, that place could be at the feet of the digital boom.
Across Africa, especially in urban Nigeria, Muslim communities are beginning to tap into AI tools to create more personalised, creative, and culturally relevant Eid messages. From text-based blessings to AI-generated visuals , this year’s Eid greetings reflect both a spiritual tradition and a technological shift.
Personalisation with AI
Believe it or not, Artifical Intelligence has become a welcome companion during the Ramadam period when used appropriately. While African creatives are still making superior designs, and crafting important messages for those who aren’t creatively inclined or can’t afford an artist, tools like ChatGPT, Canva AI, DALL·E, and other image generators are helping Muslims craft Eid Mubarak messages that brings tears to the eyes of those they’re crafted for. With the right prompt, a message could adhere to the unique needs of the community, friends, or lover of a celebrant.
Young Africans, especially the more digitally inclined ones, are using generative text AI to help enhance their poems, reflective messages, or social media posts about the Eid experience. These messages take the place of generic messages forwarded multiple times over, and thus give a more homely feel to the Eid experience.
Accessibility and Cultural Translation
The benefits seem unending, but there is still a need to use AI with caution. A celebration as important as Eid requires nuance to be tackled, nuance which AI can lack when not utilized properly. It’s no enough to generate any generic photo relevant to the Islamic culture and call it a day, there needs to be an active hand in tackling generative AI for Eid.
Additionally, many tools still lack adequate training data for African languages, dialects, and religious nuance. When asked to generate greetings in Fulfulde or Kanuri, AI models tend to default to English or drawn from any Arabic language they think works.
This creates both a challenge and an opportunity: can African tech communities push for tools that understand our contexts better? Some developers are already experimenting with localised large language models (LLMs) that can generate messages in pidgin or regional dialects, but until their project is implemented its safe to steer clear of AI in particular contexts.
The Balance of AI and Tradition
While the whimsy of generative messages is inspiring, it cannot and should not replace the heart of Eid. For many Muslims, Eid is about physical presence, visiting family, exchanging hugs, and sharing food. While AI enhances creativity, it cannot replicate the intimacy of real-world interactions.
Yet, for the diaspora or those separated from loved ones due to conflict, distance, or economics, AI-enabled messages are a good middle-ground. They allow people to participate in the celebration in ways that feel less generic and more meaningful no matter where in the world they are.
Conclusion: AI, Eid, and The Future
Eid is, at its core, about intention. And that intention now includes how Muslims show up for each other digitally. AI isn’t replacing faith; it’s becoming a tool to express it more richly and inclusively.
What do you think about the use of Artifical Intelligence in crafting Eid messages? Does it have its place? Let us know down below.
