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| Islam is for all |
Idul-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan. Muslims say farewell to the blessed month, the month of Allah, the month in which the glorious scripture, the ultimate mandate for mankind, the Holy Qur'an, was revealed. The month that has most beautiful days and ever fragrant nights.
We leave the month of seeking nearness to Ar-Rahmaan (the All-Merciful), the school of Iman (faith) and an opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries.
In the previous nights, we prayed, offered charity and attended lectures. What will happen now? Have we fulfilled the requirements of Taqwa (fear of God) and graduated from this school with an 'A' grade diploma of the God-fearing?
The night of Idul-Fitr is a majestic night. It is beneficial to keep awake for Ibadah (worship) as this night is of equal importance as the night of Laylatul-Qadr, the queen of the nights.
The Eid must not just mark the 'end' of Ramadan. Rather, it should be a new beginning, where we emulate our character and Islamic values, which we have focused upon for the past 29 or 30 days.
We are like a child out of the womb, pure and innocent. Eid is the day of victory as we have succeeded in subduing our desires and purified ourselves. Let us not wash away our good deeds and revert to our merry old ways. Let the mosques still overflow with worshippers, let the Qur'an be the most essential part of our lives instead of letting it gather dust on our shelves. Our condition should be better than before Ramadan.
Eid is not just a ritual that provides us with an excuse to enjoy ourselves. It represents important values and participating in them, we seek to please the Almighty Allah and attain nearness to Him.
Idul-Fitr is a great day of festival for Muslims. It is a day of rejoicing and being happy. But for whom?
Is it the day of rejoicing for those who simply put on new clothes and wear perfume? Or is it the day of being happy for those who were eagerly waiting for the release of the greatest enemy of mankind, the Satan, from his captivity so that they all revert to committing sins?
Unfortunately, many Muslims abstain from sins during the month of Ramadan, but come Eid, they go back to what they were before! Cassettes of prayers, which were in their cars during the holy month, are thrown back into their cases and replaced with those, which are unlawful, by Shari'ah.
The forbidden places from which they had abstained for month long, are infact the same places they go to celebrate Eid.
Just as, when a person goes to a college, or a university and at the completion of his course, he receives his award marking his achievement, we must understand that, the holy month of Ramadan is a spiritual university where we are being trained to achieve Taqwa i.e. piety.
The day of Idul-Fitr is when Allah is awarding us for our achievements.
On the day of Eid al-Fitr, Imam Ali bin Abi Talib delivered a sermon in which he said: "O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the righteous are awarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day which is 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 about the day when you (your souls) shall come out of your bodies to go to your Lord.
"When you stand on places of your prayer, remind yourselves of your standing in presence of your Lord (on the day of Judgement). And when you return to your homes (after prayer), remind yourselves about your returning to your homes in Paradise.
"O Servants of Allah Almighty! 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 Ramadhan (saying): O Servants of Allah! Rejoice the glad tiding that all your previous sins have been forgiven. Therefore, watch out in those things which serve as your re-creation (on this day and days to follow)".
May all our worship, prayer and remembrance of Allah and other good deeds be accepted and rewarded in this life and the life hereafter. May the auspicious days of Eid festivities be the event of joyful celebration and may Allah shower you with blessings for a happier and healthier life to cherish many such festivities in the years to come.
May Allah accept our efforts and give us Tawfiq (perservrance) to serve Him with sincerity.
The one who loves to meet his Lord in peace must be prepared to struggle and labour himself, his pen and his wealth in the way of Islam and the way of our beloved Prophet Muhammad.
We are committed in our efforts to promote a platform for a healthy society which adheres to the tenets of peace, justice and freedom. - Harakahdaily
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