EID AL-FITR: A DAY OF THANKSGIVING AND SHARING
The word Eid in Arabic means ‘returning at regular intervals’ and refers to the two annual Islamic religious celebrations. The fact that they occur in a regular cycle is important, for it gives a repeated opportunity for renewal, to forgive enemies, and contact people one has not seen for a long time.
Although there are several special times in the Islamic calendar, there are really only two religious festivals. These are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr concludes Sawm, the ritual fasting period of Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam. Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan is a day of thanksgiving and jubilation, as it signifies the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan, the time of earnest labour spent in fasting, prayers and study of the Quran. It is the loftiest achievement of moral exercises, which is celebrated with the greatest of zeal on the day of Eid al-Fitr.
Eid al-Fitr is observed with the spirit of thanksgiving all over the Muslim world, by offering prayers to God, and rejoicing on the accomplishment of an act of dedication and submission to the Almighty. The Muslims pay obeisance to the Lord in congregation—displaying the real spirit of brotherhood, equality and fraternity through congregational prayers and feasts.
An atmosphere of festivity and celebration can be found in all Muslim localities all over the world. There is no dearth of delights and merriment that accompanies any human celebrations. The poor and rich alike are attired in their best clothes, houses are cleaned and decorated, and greeting cards and gifts are exchanged. Delicious meals are cooked, and friends and relatives are invited. It is also an occasion when friends from different communities share this joyous occasion. They have meals together and take part in one another’s happiness.
Man is a social animal, and he needs to interact with fellow human beings. Festivities and celebrations exist in all societies of the world. Likewise, for the Muslim community, this is a great occasion to interact with one another. This festival brings people together fulfilling a basic need of human nature. Due to one’s own priorities, often one does not have the time to socialize in this fast-paced world. The celebration of Eid thus acts as an excuse to break and stay away from these routine engagements and merge with humanity, in order to sustain unity and cohesiveness.
Real happiness lies in sharing the bounties that God has given us with others. One of the main reasons for celebrating Eid is that happiness can be spread among all mankind. By sharing happiness with one another we can certainly make this world a better place to live in. This will definitely foster a feeling of brotherhood and promote love for all mankind irrespective of caste or creed. Thus, Eid symbolizes a new basis for human unity as well.
By sharing happiness with one another we can certainly make this world a better place to live. The occasion of this festival provides, above all, a valuable opportunity to extend the hand of friendship to people from other communities and remove misunderstandings often prevalent in society. Muslims should come out of their seclusion and forge friendship, in order that this misunderstanding—which clearly stems from a narrow perception—is effectively brought to an end.
Eid provides a God-given opportunity for interaction between different communities. By sharing our happiness with them we can go a long way in easing the tension existing between Muslims and non-Muslims. The establishment of cordial relations among different communities will definitely result in prosperity of the community and the nation at large.
