The Day of Eid!

[ummtaalib]

The Day of Eid!

By Umm Ammarah

The Month of Ramadaan is coming to an end and the transition from Ramadaan to Eid and thereafter should be a path the that brings us closer to our Creator and a path that treads the Sunnah i.e. The way of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) .

After a month of sacrifice, Allah Ta’ala takes it upon Himself to reward His faithful servants. Allah Ta’ala is the Most Generous and Most Benevolent. Indeed Allah Ta’ala’s Generosity multiplies in Ramadaan. When Allah Ta’ala sees His servants carry out all their duties  faithfully and strive to gain closeness to Him through fasting ,salaat (prayer) ,patience ,recitation of Quraan ,zikr ,dua ,and controlling of even permissible desires  and needs like food, drink etc. then Allah Ta’ala bestows on His faithful servants a special prize on the night preceding the day of Eid…

 THE PRIZE GIVING NIGHT:  

Allah Ta’ala bestows the rewards on those who have spent the month in His obedience and all their Du’as (prayers) on such an occasion are indeed accepted. It has been the practice of The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (pbuh)that he would not sleep during the night preceding  Eid-ul –Fitr, this night has been named Laylatul Jaaiza (The Prize Giving night). The night when the faithful and obedient servants of Allah Ta’ala are given the true reward. To benefit from this opportunity, one should exert in prayer and ask Allah Ta’ala for all our needs.Our Beloved Rasulullah (Salallaho alaihe wassallam) said: "The person who stays awake on the nights preceding the two Eids occupying himself with ibâdah(worship), his heart will not die on the day when everyone's heart will perish." (his heart will not die during the time of evil and corruption). It could also mean that with the blowing of the trumpet his soul will not become unconscious. (Hadith –Ibn Majah)

The then comes the joyous day of…

EID-UL-FITR:

Celebrated on the first day of Shawwaal, at the completion of Ramadhaan. Shawwaal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day for the believing men and women. On this day Muslims show their real joy for the many blessings Allah Ta’ala has given to them to fulfil their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadhaan.

Indeed this joyous day can cannot pass by without remembering the poor and destitute…

SADAQTUL FITR:

 Islam has prescribed a simple yet graceful way to observe this happy day. First of all well off Muslims start their day by giving charity Sadaqtul Fitr to the poor of their society, so that the less endowed can also enjoy their day along with others. Ibn Abbas(RA) said that the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (pbuh) enjoined Sadaqatul Fitr so that those who fasted  may be purified of idle deeds and shameful talk committed during Ramadaan and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before salaah( even days before) will have his obligation accepted, and whoever gives it after salaah it will be an ordinary charity.(Hadith -Abu Dawood)

This day of Eid should be spent in the way shown to us by The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)…

SUNNAH ACTS ON THE DAY OF EID:

• Wake up early.
  
• Take a Ghusl (bath) before Eid Salaah


• Brush your teeth (use Miswaak)


• Dress up, putting on best clothes available.


• Use itr (perfume)


• Eat something sweet before proceeding to the Eid Musallah e.g. Dates etc.


• Pay Sadaqatul Fitr before Salaatul-Eid (on Eid-al-Fitr).


• Go to Eid Musallah (Eid Gah/prayer ground) early.


• Offer Salaah-al-Eid in congregation in an Eid Musallah except when weather is not permitting like rain, snow, etc.


• Use different roads en route to the Eid Musallah and back home.


• Recite the following Takbir on the way to Eid Musallah :

Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ila-ha illallahu Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. Wa-lillahil hamd. (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest. And all praises are for Allah)

THE EID PRAYER-And then comes along the morning of Eid, Allah Ta’ala sends down the angels to all the lands in the earth, where they take their positions at access points of roads calling out with a voice that is heard by all accept man and jinn. Allah Ta’ala then says: I call you to witness, Oh my Angels that for their having fasted during the month of Ramadaan ,and for their having stood before me in prayer by night, I have granted to them as reward My pleasure and have granted them forgiveness.-Allah Ta’ala will then say…,Oh my servants ask now of Me, for I swear by My honour and My Greatness, that whatsoever you shall beg of me this day in this assembly of yours for the needs of the Hereafter ,I shall grant you, and what so ever  you shall ask for your worldly needs shall look at you favourably. (Hadith-Targheeb)

 

 Jubayr ibn Nufayr (RA) said: 'When the companions of Allah Ta’ala's Messenger (peace be upon him) met on the day of `Eid, they would say to each other, 'TaqaballAllahu Ta’ala minna wa minkum (may Allah Ta’ala accept from you and us ).” (Fathul  Bari ).

 

TIPS ON HOW TO SPEND THE DAY OF EID:

• Keep in mind the pleasure of Allah and uphold Shari'ah at ALL times.
  
• Adorn yourself and your family modestly in the best of garments (not necessarily new).


• Avoid over eating and other festivities that have no benefit.


• Visit the poor, needy, orphans, elderly and sick.


• Should Eid be made at “my mum or your mum or wherever?” This requires Shura/Mashurah (mutual consultation). Shurah is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalaho alaihe wassallam).Try to compromise and accommodate each other.


• Maintain and strengthen family bonds- Rasulullah (Salallaho alaihe wassallam) is reported to have said, "Anyone who wishes to have his means of livelihood enlarged and a prolonged life, should treat his relatives with kindness."(Hadith)


• Don't forget the suffering, oppressed, poor and needy Muslims in all parts of the world in your du’as and charity.


• Be punctual with our acts of worship and on this joyous day.

 

 

BE CAUTIOUS!- Avoid excessive indulgence of any kind and stay away from places where the laws of Islam are violated. It is a joyous occasion indeed and let it be spent in ways that are pleasing to our Creator. Use the day profitably to earn the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala and continue to do so everyday.  

“A Muslim is a Muslim for life and not just during Ramadaan!”

WHAT NOW AFTER RAMADAAN…We leave the month Ramadaan, its beautiful days and nights, we leave the  Month of Mercy wherein we excelled in recitation of the Quraan , Taqwa and Ibadat, sympathy ,forgiveness...we need to ask ourselves: Ramadaaan is over and what have we gained?

Ramadaan was a 30 day course on self restraint and piety , have we graduated from the course having learnt to fight our desires and defeat them..? Have we recharged our spiritual batteries and gained Taqwa (Allah consciousness)? If we have …then ALHAMDULILLAH (Praise be to Allah)…now let us continue to obey Allah Ta’ala and ask Allah Ta’ala to keep us steadfast. Ramadaan is over and Shawwal has come,  let us save the changes that we all made in our lives during the month of Ramadaan. Let Ramadaan not be a final destination but a stepping stone to greater good from now on. We need to make a firm resolution to continue with the momentum and lead a life of piety and free of sins. We now face another eleven months after this training. Let it be that we come out stronger and better servants of Allah Ta’ala…AMEEN!

Eid Mubarak!

EISLAM

[ummtaalib]

The Day of Eid

 

Thanksgiving and Expressing Gratitude

 

Eid Al-Fitr is a day that marks the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan. It is a festival that signifies the completion of an act of duty and devotion. It teaches us that real happiness results from performing one's duty and making sacrifices for a noble objective.

 

We should thank and praise Almighty Allah, for He guided us to fasting in Ramadan, performing the Taraweeh, and the various Ibaadah we have performed.

 

Allah says in the Qur'an, And (He desires) that you should complete the prescribed period (of fasting) and that you should glorify Allah for having guided you and that you may give thanks. (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

 

 

Joy and Rejoice

 

In celebrating Eid Al-Fitr, we should enjoy our time by sticking to what is permissible.

 

Eid is our joy; it is our feast. The month of Ramadan is a test from Almighty Allah. At the end of the month, we experience a great sense of achievement and closeness to Allah. It is the joy of spiritual fulfilment.

 

The day of Eid Al-Fitr is time for celebration. It is a day of decent happiness and joy.

 

Almighty Allah says, "Say, "In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy — therein let them rejoice. It is better than what they hoard." (Yunus 10:58)

 

 

Great Reward

 

The Day of Eid Al-Fitr is a blessed day for those who have observed their duty toward Allah during their fast in Ramadan. In the heavens, Eid Al-Fitr is called the day of reward.

 

It is reported in a Hadith that, on the day of Eid Al-Fitr, the angels stand on both sides of the roads and proclaim, “O believers, walk toward your Rabb, Who is the Most Generous. He favours you with goodness and gives you great reward. He commanded you to pray during the night and fast during the day. Now that you have obeyed Him, come and receive your rewards.”

 

As the believers finish the Eid Prayer, the angels say, “Allah has forgiven you. Return to your homes with the best of good and glad tidings. This is the day of reward. This day is called the day of reward in heaven as well.” (At-Tabarani)  

Adapted from onislam.net

 

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Council of Muslim Theologians