Eid Al Fitr: A day of gratitude and unity Friday, 10 September 2010 03:49

Eid Al Fitr is the day of boons and blessings for all fasting Muslims, as they are promised great reward by Almighty Allah for good observance of fasting. By the end of Ramadan, Muslims express their gratitude to Allah Who has enabled them to observe fasting and, at the same time, granted them abundant provision during this blessed month. ‘Eid Al-Fitr, therefore, is a day of joy, acts of worship, thanksgiving to Allah, cooperation, solidarity, brotherhood, unity, and spiritual provision.

During the month of Ramadan, Allah has put us to test. At the end of the month there is a great sense of achievement, of coming closer to the Almighty. It is the joy of spiritual fulfillment. It is a time for celebration, not to indulge in insulting or abusing others or detracting from the achievements of the month of Ramadan; it’s a day of real happiness and joy.

When Abu Bakr (May Allah be Pleased with Him) entered the house of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) on the day of Eid, he found two young girls playing music and singing. Abu Bakr (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) asked them: “Doing this in the house of the Prophet, how come?” But the Prophet (PBUH) told Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to leave them, for ‘Eid is a day of merriment and joy.

However, Eid is not simply a matter of celebration and joy. It is also a chance to share the feelings of those around us. That is why the sacrifice is offered and shared with friends, even with non-Muslims.

At the conclusion of the month of Ramadan, on the first day of the 10th month of Islamic lunar calendar occurs ‘Eid Al Fitr. This is one of two main festivals of Islam and is celebrated by all Muslims throughout the world. The ceremony of ‘Eid Al Fitr starts early morning with a worship service. This service is generally held in a large open place and is attended by thousands of Muslims. After the Prayer the leader of the Prayer (Imam) delivers a short sermon and then people greet each other. The rest of the ceremonies are held generally privately with families and friends. The significance of ‘Eid Al Fitr is that it is a day of thanksgiving to Allah that He gave the opportunity to Muslims to benefit from and enjoy the blessings of the month of Ramadan.

Eid is a day of joy, thanksgiving, worship, brotherhood, solidarity, and morality. A Muslim should take the advantage of this day to bring himself nearer to Allah, Most High. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) said: “Every nation has its festival, and this is your festival.” The Muslims have no festivals apart from ‘Eid Al Fitr and ‘Eid Al Adha. Anas (May Allah be Pleased with Him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) came to Al Madinah. The people of Madinah used to have two festivals. On those two days they had carnivals and festivity. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) asked the Ansar (the Muslims of Madinah) about it. They replied that before Islam they used to have carnivals on those two joyous days. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told them: “Instead of those two days, Allah has appointed two other days which are better, the days of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr and ‘Eid-ul-Adha.”

On the day of ‘Eid, some Sunnah acts that we should do:

1. Engage in takbir (saying “Allahu akbar”) from fajr until the imam comes out for salah. Takbir is recommended for males, females, young and old.

2. It is also important to make sure to pay zakat Al-Fitr before the salah. Ideally, it should be given in advance so that the poor can enjoy their ‘Eid.

3. Appear in the best clean clothes dress that you can afford to, that are reasonable and modest.

4. It is recommended to go early to the prayer place.

5. And most importantly, to wish every one the joy of ‘Eid and show true signs of Islamic brotherhood by shaking hands and embracing and supplicating: “Taqabal Allahu Minna wa Minkum” (May Allah accept it from us and you).

6. It is also considered a good Islamic practice to visit one another and exchange gifts. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Exchange gifts in order to foster love.”

7. Remember the true spirit of ‘Eid is reflected in our extreme generosity to the poor and the needy. So, be charitable as best as you can.

8. Make lots of istighfar (asking Allah for forgiveness) and pray that Allah accept our fast, prayers and devotion, and may He grant the Ummah glory and success.

Muslims should strive their best to achieve their unity in all aspects. Allah says: (O ye who believe! Be conscious of Allah as you aught to be conscious of Him, and die not except in a state of Islam. And hold fast, all together, by the Rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the Pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make His Signs clear to you: that ye may be guided. Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: they are the ones to attain felicity. Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving Clear Signs: for them is a dreadful Penalty) (Aal ‘Imran 3: 102-105).

In another verse we read, (As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, you have no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did) (Al-An‘am: 159). Also we read, (And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere) (Al-Anfal 8: 46).

Unity is our religious obligation. In Islam unity and faith are interrelated. People of faith are united people. The more faith they will have, the more united they will be. Allah says in the Qur’an, (Indeed the Believers are brethren to each other)(Al-Hujurat 49: 10).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “You shall not enter Paradise until you have faith, and you shall not attain faith until you love each other. Should I tell you something that if you do, you shall love each other? Spread salam among you”

Unity does not mean uniformity. It does not mean that we should look alike, eat alike, dress alike. It does not mean that we should not have any differences in opinions. This is diversity, not disunity. Unity does not mean negation of diversity. Diversity is good; disunity is bad. Diversity is a mercy; disunity is a curse. Unity can be achieved with diversity.

Unity means the unity of purpose and goal. United people are diverse people, but their purpose and goal is one and the same. They must remain conscious of their purpose and goal, and all their efforts must be directed to that purpose. When people of diverse backgrounds and cultures become united for one purpose, they achieve progress and success. However, when the people of one and the same culture and race lose consciousness of their purpose, they become divided and they fail.

The purpose as Muslims is moral and spiritual. The purpose is to please Allah and to work for the advancement of His religion in this world. The goal is to achieve ultimate success and salvation in the Hereafter. There is no better reason to be united than this. If one can keep in mind the purpose and goal, we can easily overcome our differences. This would make us more open minded, more accommodating, more merciful and kind to each other.

Unity is not a slogan; it is a mission. Wherever we are we should try to see how we can achieve unity among ourselves. Each one of us should ask ourselves: Do I want to be united with my fellow Muslims? What am I doing to work with others to promote my purpose and achieve my goal? If I have a problem, what am I doing to solve the problem?

Unity does not come down as rain from the sky. Unity is not a miracle that will happen among those who do not believe in unity. Unity will only come if we strive for it and work hard to achieve it. It is a reward of faith, sincere efforts, lot of patience, good will, tolerance, and sincere commitment to the objectives and aims. Unity requires continuous efforts.

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