 |
| Modhesh ready to entertain children on Eid |
Eid Mubarak to all my
friends and readers.
Eid al-Fitr, celebrates
the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan and breaking the fast.
Although most people are off for two to four days, the religious Eid is a single day, Thursday, when
Muslims are not permitted
to fast.
The holiday celebrates
the conclusion of the 29 dawn-to-sunset fasting. It has been a time of prayer,
reflection, soul-searching and generosity.
Ramadan is also a month
of family and friends’ gatherings for iftar
to break the fast and suhoor, the
meal before dawn. With close friends, we have been gathering nearly every night
for coffee and Ramadan sweets to pass the time until suhoor. I will miss these evenings.
Eid falls
on the first day of the month of Shawwal, according to the Muslim lunar
calendar. It is a day when Muslims worldwide try to show a common goal of
unity. I hope this happens in the more vulnerable countries at the moment.
Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two raka’ats (units).
The Prophet went out and offered a two-raka’at prayer on the
day of Eid al-Fitr and did not offer any other prayer before or after it and at
that time Bilal was accompanying him. [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number
104. Narrated by Ibn Abbas]
According to tradition,
and dating from the times of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), Eid prayers are generally offered in an open field or large hall. It
may only be performed in congregation and has an extra six takbirs (raising of
the hands to the ears) while saying Allahu
Akbar (God is Great).
Also, as per tradition,
there is no Adhan (call to prayer) on
Eid and prayers are pronounced before
the khutba (sermon):
Ata' said: "Jabir bin Abdullah said, 'The Prophet went
out on the Day of Eid al-Fitr and offered the prayer before delivering the
Khutba. Ata told me that during the early days of Ibn az-Zubair, Ibn Abbas had
sent a message to him telling him that the Adhan for the Eid prayer was never
pronounced (in the lifetime of Allah's Apostle) and the khutba used to be
delivered after the prayer. [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 78.
Narrated by Ibn Juraij]
Eid al-Fitr is an occasion to show gratitude to God and remember Him. It is
also an occasion for entertainment.
Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, narrates:
Abu Bakr [her father]
came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the
stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers.
Abu Bakr said protestingly, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of
Allah's Apostle!" It happened on the Eid day and Allah's Apostle said,
"O Abu Bakr! There is an Eid for every nation and this is our Eid."
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 72]
It is preferable to go to Eid prayers on foot and return from a different route:
On the day of Eid,
the Prophet used to return (after offering the Eid prayer) through a way
different from that by which he went. [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number
102. Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah]
After the early morning prayers, Muslims visit their
relatives, friends and acquaintances or hold large communal celebrations.
Eid Sa3eed and my thoughts go out to those less fortunate who will not be
celebrating this joyous day.
