Did you wonder why last Friday, July 15 was a national holiday? Do you know the significance of this holiday of Eid al Ftr?
Research shows that Eid al Ftr is also called a Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, Bayram (Bajram), the Sweet Festival or Hari Raya Puasa, and the Lesser Eid, an important religious holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm).
The religious Eid is a single day during which Muslims are not permitted to fast.
The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
It falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies, based on the observation of new moon by local religious authorities, so the exact day of celebration varies by locality.
A particular Salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two Rakats (units) and generally offered in an open field or large hall, performed only in congregation (Jama’at) and has an additional extra six Takbirs (raising of the hands to the ears while saying Allhu Akbar, literally “God is greatest”), three of them in the beginning of the first raka’ah and three of them just before Ruku’ in the second raka’ah in the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam.
For Muslims, both the festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are occasions for showing gratitude to God, and remembering Him, and are an occasion of entertainment.
Aishah narrates that when on an Eid day her father Abu Bakr stopped young girls from singing, Muhammad said: “Abu Bakr! [Let them sing]; every nation has an ‘id and [this day] is our Eid.”
As an obligatory act of charity, money is paid to the poor and the needy (Arabic: Sadaqat-ul-fitr) before performing the ‘Eid prayer. The following list contains some general rituals:
To show happiness
To give as much charity as is possible
To go early for Eid salaat
To read the takbirat in an open field.
Go to the Eid prayer on foot, using separate routes going to and from the venue.
While at the open field/praying area, same rules apply as the mosque, do not speak one word other than words that remember Allah or any Islamic terms during the Imam’s lecture as well as before and after Eid Salaat. You can speak once you’ve left the Masjid, or Mosque or any other place you were praying.
Say Eid Mubarak to other Muslims.
Muslims recite the following incantation in a low voice while going to the Eid prayer: All hu Akbar, All hu Akbar, Allhu Akbar. L ilha illí l-Lh wal-Lhu akbar, Allahu akbar walil-Lhi l-amd.
Recitation ceases when they get to the place of Eid or once the Imam commences activities.
Women are encouraged to join Salat of Eid.
With understanding and respect for Muslim religious beliefs and rituals, we will attain a peaceful co-existence. Peace be with you!
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Author’s email: whelmayap@yahoo.com
