Ramadan festival celebrated in keeping with Islamic
norms:
A time for charity
By Mohammed NAALIR
Muslims
all over the world are preparing to celebrate the Ramadan festival
(Eid-ul-Fitr) which would take place most probably on Wednesday, August
31, depending on the sighting of the new moon on the western horizon.
Eid-ul-Fitr is the Arabic term for charity. Giving alms and charity
to those who do not have, will further illuminate the day.
Islam bequeaths that the Ramadan (Eid-ul-Fitr) festival must be
celebrated in keeping with Islamic norms. Muslims must be happy on this
day and nobody is expected to mourn on this blessed day. Fasting on this
day is prohibited.
Allah favoured this day as a gift to Muslims for sacrificing eating
and drinking, which are important for one to survive, throughout the
month during day time in obedience to Allah's command.
We should analyse the meaning of the word 'Eid'. It is not wearing
new clothes or taking pride in one's wealth.
Eid is not an occasion for personal entertainment. It is an occasion
to pay gratitude to Allah by those who sacrificed the whole month of
Ramazan, paying homage to Allah and fasting to get close to Him and
receive acknowledgement.
One should dine on something before the Eid prayer. This may take the
form of dates in accordance with the command of Allah as was
demonstrated while fasting.
Giving alms and charity on this day brings happiness to the poor,
revives the spirit of co-operation and kindness among Muslims, purifies
their souls and suppresses their tendencies towards being miserly.
Wearing
new clothes and applying perfume is one of the practices of Eid. It is
the means of recognising the kindness of the Almighty. It involves
beautification because Allah is beautiful and He loves that which is
beautiful.
Eid is a time to display the favour of Allah as there is a hadeeth
(prophetic saying) which goes `Verily Allah loves to see the effect of
His favour upon His servant if He blesses him'. It is an occasion to
exchange visits, greetings, love and good wishes. It demands contact
with relatives, kindness of parents, sympathy for the poor and
compassion for neighbours.
Eid reflects happiness that is governed by Islamic rules and ethics.
It enjoins dignified fun, courteous and innocent games, caring smiles,
legitimate picnics and creative stories.
Eid is a gathering of thousands of rich, poor, big, small, ruler and
ruled. It is a day of rewards. Whoever fasted with faith and
consciousness will be granted glad tidings of a great prize, a major
success and a huge reward. Whoever sinned while fasting, was careless
with the commands of Allah and trespassed His boundaries, he will regret
it and feel deep worry.
Two groups of people
On the day of Eid there will be two groups of people returning from
prayer. The group that has been rewarded - Allah will say to them: `Go,
you have been forgiven. You pleased me and I have been pleased with
you'.
The other group is that of losers and the despondent. They will be
returning with disappointment, loss, regret and denial. Umar ibn Abdul
Aziz (Rali) saw some people hastening away from Arafat on their horses
and camels at sunset. He said to them, “The one who wins is not he who
goes faster on his horse or camel; but the winner is he whose sins are
forgiven. O Muslims! Think about those with whom you prayed last Eid.
They included your fathers, grandfathers, beloved ones and friends.
"Where
are they? Where have they gone? Tomorrow you will receive the prize.
Tomorrow you will be given your full recompense in a record of your
deeds.”
Gift to those who fast
Prophet Muhammad narrated the pride of fasting in this way, “I cannot
find a better or greater masterpiece than to present to those who fast.
They are the practical hadeeths that have been mentioned in connection
with rewards and blessings. They are the hadeeths that lead to the doors
of happiness and the paths of goodness in the world.”
Allah says "He wants (you) to complete the same number (of days) and
thus must magnify Allah (takbeer-reveres Allah) for having guided you
and so that you may be grateful to him.”
Prophet (Sal) used to emerge on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr and say the
takbeer until he reached the musallaa (praying place) and until he had
performed the prayer. So when he had performed the prayer he stopped
saying the takbeer.
A scholar of hadeeth Al-Albaanee said: "This hadeeth contains
evidence concerning the legality of what Muslims are acting upon, from
saying the takbeer aloud on the way to musallaa; even-though many
Muslims have become negligent of this Sunnah to such an extent that it
has nearly become a thing that was.....”
The manner of saying takbeer has not been authentically reported in a
hadeeth of Prophet Mohammed from that which we know, but it has been
reported by some of the companions of the Prophet.
Ibn Masood said: “Allaahu-Akbar. Allaahu-Akbar. Laa ilaaha illallaah.
Wa- Allaahu-Akbar. Allaahu-Akbar. Wa-lillahil-Hamd.” (Allah is the
Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. There is none who has the right to be
worshipped except Allah. Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest
and to Allah belongs all praise.)
All praise
Ibn Abbaas said: "Allaahu-Akbar. Allaahu-Akbar. Allaahu-Akbar.
Wa-lillaahil- Hamd. Allaahu-Akbar wa ajallu, Allaahu-Akbar `alaa maa
hadaana."
(Allah
is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest and to
Allah belongs all praise. Allah is the Greatest and the Most Sublime.
Allah is the Greatest to that which he has guided us to).
Naaf'i Abdullah bin `Umar used to bathe on the day of Fitr before
setting out to the musallaa.
Imaam Sa`eed ibn-ul-Musayyib said, "The Sunnah acts of Eid-ul-Fitr
are three: walking to the musallaa, eating before proceeding to the
musallaa and bathing.”
Imaam al-Muhallib said, "The wisdom behind eating before `Eid prayer
is so that no person with doubt in his mind thinks that the fasting
remains until after the prayer. So it is as if he [Prophet (Sal)] wanted
to stop this from occurring".
Ibn `Abbaas reports "That the Prophet prayed two rak'ahs on the day
of Fitr and he did not pray before or after.”
Haafidh ibn Hajr said, "In conclusion, it has not been established
that the `Eid prayer has a Sunnah (prayer) before or after it; in
contrast to those who make an analogous conclusion for it from the
Friday prayer.”
The `Eid prayer is two rak'ahs and this is taken from the narration
of `Umar (Rali). "The prayer of travelling is two rak'ahs, the prayer of
`Adhaa is two rak`ats and the prayer of Fitr is two rak'ahs. They are
complete, not shortened and this is taken from the word of the Prophet". |