Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Eid al-Fitr means ‘festival or celebration of breaking the fast’. It is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims marking the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. Muslims are not permitted to fast on the day of Eid. Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) that consists of two rakats (units) generally performed in an open field or large hall.
Eid al-Fitr, though a part of Islam, does not find mention in the Quran. The mention and details of this festival are to be found in the corpus of Hadith literature. According to a Hadith of the Prophet of Islam, the day of Eid al-Fitr is a day of reward, that is, the reward for fasting during the month of Ramadan. In this way, the day of Eid becomes a day of joy—a day when Muslims thank God for His blessings.
Fasting has been enjoined on Muslims during the month of Ramadan. The training, spiritual insights and the lessons that the Muslims have learned from the Quran during this month must be applied throughout the year. The feelings of thanksgiving, piety, peace necessitate Muslims to live as peaceful members of their society. Besides, it is also their responsibility to inculcate among other members of the society that peace is the basis for all kinds of development. It creates an atmosphere of positive living for the individual, society and nation. All kinds of development are possible in an environment of peace.
Islam being a religion of peace in the full sense, we find that today the image of Islam has become one of a violent religion. It is therefore high time that Muslims resolve on the day of Eid to strive to change this distorted image of Islam. Muslims must convey to the world that the teachings of Islam are wholly based on peace.
Charity begins from home. As such, Muslims should, first of all, decide to abstain from all such activities as disrupt the atmosphere of peace in society; they should sedulously refrain from reacting to provocative situations, and must adopt the path of patience in all circumstances.
According to Islam, happiness is for one who fulfils his duties. On the day of Eid, every Muslim must take the pledge that he would fulfil his responsibilities towards his fellow beings. This would make him deserving of greater reward in God’s eyes.
The spirit of Ramadan should never be forgotten. Unfortunately the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, both have been reduced to cultural phenomena. The lessons of these two great events are relegated to the back. These are celebrated with great pomp. Great Persian spiritual poet and mystic Hafiz Shirazi (1315-1390) has pointed out this fallacy in one of his couplets:
Tan parvariye khalq, fuzun shudd za riyazat Juz garmiye iftaar, nadarad ramzaan heich
It means intense physical constraints (in fasting) have only increased people’s use of worldly things. Ramadan is now nothing but the frenzied exercise to get things ready for breaking of the fast.
It is high time that Muslims take the pledge to follow what the Prophet and his pious Companions did; and adopt a positive, peaceful course of action at all times and in all situations.
Eid al-Fitr means ‘festival or celebration of breaking the fast’. It is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims marking the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. Muslims are not permitted to fast on the day of Eid. Eid al-Fitr has a particular salat (Islamic prayer) that consists of two rakats (units) generally performed in an open field or large hall.
Eid al-Fitr, though a part of Islam, does not find mention in the Quran. The mention and details of this festival are to be found in the corpus of Hadith literature. According to a Hadith of the Prophet of Islam, the day of Eid al-Fitr is a day of reward, that is, the reward for fasting during the month of Ramadan. In this way, the day of Eid becomes a day of joy—a day when Muslims thank God for His blessings.
Fasting has been enjoined on Muslims during the month of Ramadan. The training, spiritual insights and the lessons that the Muslims have learned from the Quran during this month must be applied throughout the year. The feelings of thanksgiving, piety, peace necessitate Muslims to live as peaceful members of their society. Besides, it is also their responsibility to inculcate among other members of the society that peace is the basis for all kinds of development. It creates an atmosphere of positive living for the individual, society and nation. All kinds of development are possible in an environment of peace.
Islam being a religion of peace in the full sense, we find that today the image of Islam has become one of a violent religion. It is therefore high time that Muslims resolve on the day of Eid to strive to change this distorted image of Islam. Muslims must convey to the world that the teachings of Islam are wholly based on peace.
Charity begins from home. As such, Muslims should, first of all, decide to abstain from all such activities as disrupt the atmosphere of peace in society; they should sedulously refrain from reacting to provocative situations, and must adopt the path of patience in all circumstances.
According to Islam, happiness is for one who fulfils his duties. On the day of Eid, every Muslim must take the pledge that he would fulfil his responsibilities towards his fellow beings. This would make him deserving of greater reward in God’s eyes.
The spirit of Ramadan should never be forgotten. Unfortunately the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, both have been reduced to cultural phenomena. The lessons of these two great events are relegated to the back. These are celebrated with great pomp. Great Persian spiritual poet and mystic Hafiz Shirazi (1315-1390) has pointed out this fallacy in one of his couplets:
Tan parvariye khalq, fuzun shudd za riyazat Juz garmiye iftaar, nadarad ramzaan heich
It means intense physical constraints (in fasting) have only increased people’s use of worldly things. Ramadan is now nothing but the frenzied exercise to get things ready for breaking of the fast.
It is high time that Muslims take the pledge to follow what the Prophet and his pious Companions did; and adopt a positive, peaceful course of action at all times and in all situations.