May Allah bless us all and grant that we use this Eid as a lens to focus on the good deeds, which have shone brightly during Ramadan and light the way through the coming year until the next Ramadan.
Eid is a day of Thanksgiving and jubilation, as it signifies successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan.
This festival marks the completion of an act of duty and devotion.
It teaches us the lesson that real happiness arises from performing one’s duty and making sacrifices for a noble objective.
This unique method of devotion is found only in Islam. No other religion can match this devotion, done only to praise Allah and give Him thanks.
Spiritual significance
It has no connection with any event, related to the change of season or cycle of agriculture. It is not a Festival related in any way to any worldly affairs.
Its significance is purely spiritual.
It is the day when Muslims thank Allah for having given them the will, strength and endurance to observe the fast and obey Allah’s commandments during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
People greet in beautiful terms such as, ‘Eid Saheed,’ ‘Eid Al Farhan’ and ‘Yaumul Jameel.’
Fasting is one of the most significant pillars of Islam.
The practice of fasting sublimates the inner self and inculcates discernment of the pangs and hardships, which the poor and needy face.
This feeling is awakened in people observing fast, whether they are rich or poor; young or old. It is the loftiest achievement of a moral exercise, celebrated with the greatest zest on the day of Eid.
Righteous rewarded
Ali said about Eid Al Fitr, “O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the righteous are rewarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day similar to the one on which you shall be standing (before your Lord). Therefore, when you come out of your homes to go to places of your prayer, remind yourselves of your standing in the presence of your Lord (on the Day of Judgment).
“When you return to your homes (after prayer), remind yourselves about your returning to your homes in Paradise. O servants of Allah! Verily, the minimum reward for those men and women who fasted (during Ramadan) is an angel who calls out to them on the last day of the month of Ramadan, ‘O servants of Allah! Rejoice the glad tiding that all your previous sins have been forgiven.’”
Therefore, Eid is not a day to strut around boastfully with expensive garments.
It is not for those who ate and drank in Ramadan without a valid excuse.
It is not for those who neglect their parents, causing them hurt and abuse.
It is only for those who are conscious of the meeting with their Lord, who live in His obedience and strive for the good and upliftment of humanity.
The Hadith
There is a beautiful hadith about Eid Al Fitr.
The Messenger of Allah, Prophet Mohammed is reported to have said, “And then the night of Eid Al Fitr, the night that is called ‘Laylatul Jaa’izah’ (the night of prize-giving), comes along. On the morning of Eid, Allah sends the angels to earth where they take their positions at access points of roads, calling out with a voice that is heard by all except man and jinn, ‘O Ummah of Mohammed, come forth from your houses towards a Lord that is noble and gracious, who grants much and pardons the major sins.’
“When they proceed towards the places for their Eid salat, Allah says to the angels, ‘What indeed is the reward of that employee who had rendered his services?’ The angels reply, ‘O Lord and Master, it is only right that he should receive his reward in full for his services.’
“Allah then says, ‘I call you to witness, O My angels, that for their having fasted during the month of Ramadan, and for their having stood in prayer by night, I have granted to them as reward My pleasure and have granted them forgiveness.
“O 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 hereafter, I shall grant you; and whatsoever you shall ask for worldly needs,
“I shall look at you favourably. By My honour I swear, as long as you shall obey My commands, I shall cover your faults. By My honour and by My Greatness I swear that I shall never disgrace you among the evil-doing ones and disbelievers.
“Depart now from here, you are forgiven. You have pleased Me, and I am pleased with you.”
The angels, seeing this great reward bestowed by Allah upon the Ummah of Mohammed on the day of Eid-Al Fitr, become greatly pleased and happy.
Unity significant
Therefore, it is our duty, on this happy occasion, to pray to Allah to bless the Muslim Ummah and unite its ranks.
As we mark the end of Ramadan, we bid farewell to this month with mixed feelings. We do not want to let it go because of what it promised us in terms of immense spiritual rewards as well as the opportunity it offered for the self-atonement of our souls.
We put extra effort and pushed ourselves to make the most of the month.
We are excited about the possibility of truly having earned Allah’s pleasure.
We feel grateful to Allah for affording us the life, faith and health to earn numerous rewards.
True potential
Ramadan showed us the true potential of adopting a lifestyle that is closer to our Islamic ideals. Let us therefore celebrate Eid with an attitude of gratitude and renewed spirit of taqwa in our hearts.
During our celebrations, let us also ensure that we avoid any haram practices and activities that may potentially nullify our hard-earned credits.
Remember the custom of the Prophet. When He went for Eid prayer, he went by one route and returned by another route, thus giving him a chance of meeting and greeting more faithful on the way.
Eid is not all about dressing up in fine clothes, eating delicious food and pursuing carnal pleasures and delights. In its outward celebration, Eid is actually meant to symbolise the acceptance of acts of worship, obedience, the remission of sins and mistakes, the conversion of bad deeds into good deeds, the glad tidings of promotion to higher spiritual degrees and the conferring of robes of honour and gracious findings.
Eid should be celebrated by being together and, when celebrating, Allah should be remembered. Whether we are happy or sad, He should not be forgotten.
Eid Al Fitr, therefore, is the day of success attained during Ramadan, with fasting, revelation of the Quran and Laylatul-Qadr as some of the successes.
It is a day that the rich and the poor experience true happiness.
Remember, the gracious day of Eid resembles the Day of Resurrection.
The noble Prophet said, “Whoever commits a sin on Eid day is like one who commits a sin in Allah’s presence on Judgement Day.”
Source: Rocket Science, Monthly Newsletter of Mt Albert Islamic Trust