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| Sunday, 6 November 2005 |
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Eid-ul-fitr:
Remembering the sacred bond of brotherliness by Aditha Dissanayake Legend has it that the Holy Quran was revealed in this month of Ramazan, and that in 622 AD, the Prophet Mohammed, on his way from Mecca to Medina, to join the other Muslims who had migrated to Medina to escape persecution in Mecca, had fasted for three days. Many years later, He was to receive a revelation from God stating that all followers of God, fasted for a certain number of days. Ramazan entails...
Similar to Lent, in the sense that it is a period of abstinence and self-restraint, Ramazan entails fasting from dawn to dusk (i.e letting nothing pass the lips, no food, drink, tobacco smoke or for the strictly observant not even licking an envelope or postage stamp from sunrise to sunset) by all Muslims, except those who are unwell, too old or are unable to fast due to circumstantial reasons such as travel or pregnancy. For it is stated in the Quran that "he among you who shall be sick or on a journey, shall fast that same number on other days...". But whether strictly observant when it comes to fasting or not, all Muslims use the month of Ramazan to examine their lives, to remind themselves of virtues like charity, compassion and forgiveness and to avoid vices like cupidity, selfishness and dishonesty. Those who fast, however, overcome the barriers between the rich and the poor, and get to know what it feels like to go hungry. So, does Ramazan mean no food for a month? No. Ramazan is also a time of celebration, and after sunset on each day, the feasting begins with a ceremonial "break-fast" a light meal called "Iftar", followed by a more substantial dinner in the evening. Sometimes the month of fasting is in December. Sometimes in April. This year it began in October to end on November 4. T. M. G. Samat, writing about Ramazan attributes this change to the changes in the moon, for the Muslim calendar is based on lunar months and as a lunar month is shorter by eleven days it takes 33 years for the whole cycle to be completed giving an opportunity for every Muslim to experience in his lifetime the fast in months of plenty as well as scarcity, and "thus be acquainted with all the hardships of his fellow beings in every part of the globe". The thirty day fast is broken on Eid-Ul-Fitr, with special prayers and festivities. In the morning, everyone takes a bath, wears new or clean clothes, applies perfume, eats dates or some other sweet before walking to the mosque for Eid prayers. According to M. Hussain Mohideen "Fitr shatters the barriers between fellowmen by drawing the rich nearer to the poor, and the able nearer to the weak, and binds one to the other with a sacred bond of brotherliness. While prayer and fasting are the causes of man's social and spiritual advancement "Zakat" causes man's economic uplift...long before the Muslim goes out for his festival prayer and mixes freely with his brothers silently and known to a very few, he would have distributed his Fitr to the needy. This is compulsory on all Muslims. Loud songs of praise to his Lord are but empty words if they are not accompanied by the Zakat and Fitr." Fahriya Musammil, of Beruwela says she wakes up at around five-thirty in the morning on this special day and helps her mother to prepare breakfast - Pittu and sambol, after which everyone goes to mosque for festival prayers. "We women go to the mosque when we hear the announcement made from the mosque, dressed in new clothes. We meet our relatives, friends and neighbours there," says Fahriya. After saying salaams we return home. The men go visiting while we make ourselves busy preparing lunch. "Eid Mubarak" Everyone greets everyone else with "Eid Mubarak". "The sense of joy we feel on this day when we visit friends and relatives is indescribable", says Fahriya. And she has every right to be happy. For, it is said that the Holy Prophet did not mind enjoyment on a festive day. Once when Ayesha, his wife reported that her father Abu Bakr had reprimanded her for listening to two girls playing the tambourine on a festival day the Holy Prophet had intervened to say "Leave them alone, O Abu Bkr, for these are the days of Id". so Happy Eid Mubarak! |
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