How To Celebrate Eid

It is a great favour of Allah Almighty that He has granted us the blessing of Eid-ul-Fitr after blessed Ramadan. Many virtues of the blissful Eid have been mentioned in blessed Ahadees. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘When the morning comes on the day of Eid, Allah Almighty sends angels who descend on earth and stand on the sidewalks and calls out which every creation hears except for Humans and Jinns. They say, ‘O Ummah of Muhammad صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Come towards your Merciful Rab. He will give you a lot and will forgive your major sins.’ When people have come to the Eid Gah (the place where congregational Eid Salah is offered), Allah Almighty says to angels, ‘O My angels! What is the remuneration for the labourer when he completes his work?’ Angels humbly say, ‘O our Lord! His remuneration is that he should be fully paid.’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ says, ‘O My angels! I make you witness that I have made My pleasure and forgiveness a reward for their (acts of) fasting and worshipping in Ramadan.’  (Akhbar-e-Makkah lil-Fakihi, vol. 2, pp. 316, Hadees 1575; summarised)

Dear Islamic sisters! We should show deep gratitude towards Allah Almighty for this blessing bestowed on us. There may be various ways of showing gratitude. For example, we can perform Sajdah-e-Shukr ^[1] (Sajdah for gratitude), use our body parts for virtuous deeds and spend this day obeying Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ instead of spending it heedlessly. We can offer five Salahs on time, offer Nawafil of gratitude and can also show gratitude by using our tongue i.e. we can praise Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Help the poor

On this occasion, do remember the poor and the needy in your Zakah and Sadaqaat. Help them in any way that is possible. If Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ gives you more Taufeeq, you can also give a donation to Madani donations of Dawat-e-Islami.

Spread happiness

Wish a happy Eid to your relatives and friends with the intention of pleasing Muslims. If there is a strained relationship between you and someone, Allah forbid, so taking advantage of the festival of Eid make contact with them, wish them a happy Eid and take a step to achieve reconciliation with them to please Allah Almighty.

Celebrate Eid, but …?

Eid is a religious festival of Muslims. Celebrate it as much as possible, but do not wear such clothes, and nor let your children (girls) wear such clothes about which there is a fear that they may show body parts. Avoid wearing the jewellery prohibited by Shari’ah such as (in some cases) the jewellery that contains tinkling bells because according to a blessed Hadees, angels of mercy do not visit the house that has tinkling bells in it. (Abu Dawood, vol. 4, pp. 125, Hadees 4231) Similarly, avoid the use of glitter powder as well. Though it is not impermissible, it causes difficulty in making Wudu and (Ghusl) taking bath.

What sort of joy this is!

The joy that makes a person heedless of the remembrance of Allah Almighty and due to which a person forgets Fard and Wajib acts is not a joy at all! So, take great care that you fulfil all Fard and Wajib acts when celebrating the festival. If Allah Almighty wills, you will get Eidi in the form of beholding the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in dream. اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه

Tayri jab kay deed hogi jabhi mayri Eid hogi

Mayray khuwb mayn tum aana Madani Madinay walay

(Wasail-e-Bakhshish (Murammam), pp. 424)

Oblivious of everything, Adnan was preoccupied in running and playing with many other children; comparatively a younger boy, ‘Arsalan’ appeared on the scene at once and got bumped by Adnan and both were on the floor with a loud thud. It was the Roza Kusha’I ^[1] ceremony of ‘Rizwan’ today, so the house was full of guests. The elders were busy making Zikr and Du’a whereas the children were playing in the courtyard of house. 

Surprised by the big sound, all rushed to the scene where Arsalan was still on the floor crying loudly. Arsalan’s mother angrily asked the children: ‘Who made him fall to the ground?’ The children immediately gestured towards Adnan who was standing in a corner. He instantly reacted: ‘Aunty!  We were playing our game, Arsalan himself came running speedily to us and…’ Before Adnan could complete his sentence, Arsalan’s mother scolded him badly. In the meantime, Adnan’s mother also arrived there and made an apology to Arsalan’s mother but she took her son and went away in a displeasing manner without responding.

‘Dear Islamic brothers and sisters! The moon of Shawwal has been sighted! Congratulations on the Occasion of the Blessed Eid-ul-Fitr!’ Announcements started echoing from Masajid when the moon sighted and brought a refreshing wave of excitement in the streets and houses. Those people observing I’tikaf in Masajid were engaged in making Ramadan farewell supplications. Women got busy in kitchen preparing sumptuous food items for the big day of Eid.  

TV was also on in the lounge, airing a speech on Madani channel, in which a preacher of Dawat-e-Islami was delivering Madani pearls: O the viewers of Madani channel! This is a blessed occasion of collecting rewards, sharing happiness and reuniting the dispersed people. How ironic it is that we make our outward appearance excellent by putting on new and clean clothes whereas our inner-self remains filled with resentment and bitterness.  Let me share a blessed Hadees of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: It is not permissible for a Muslim to break off relation with his brother for more than three days. Whoever has broken off more than three days and died, he will enter Hell. (Abu Dawood, vol. 4, pp. 364, Hadees 4914)

When the blessed words of Hadees reached the ears of Arsalan’s mother, she felt ashamed for her behaviour, remembering the Roza Kusha’i ceremony, and made intention to visit Adnan’s mother for seeking an apology.