Eid-ul-Fitr Is An Occasion To Celebrate Humanity And Brotherhood
By
Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam
2 May 2022
Eid
- A Social Event To Cement Stout Human
Bonds Of Love And Affinity Transcending Religious And Social Considerations
Main
Points:
1. Islam is a
social religion which allows celebrations and festivities subject to refraining
from the forbidden and encouraging virtues in society.
2. Not to
forget Allah and steadfastly abide by his instructions are essential to divine
understanding of Eid.
3. Fitr Zakat
is a mere jurisprudential rendition of social responsibility to tend to the
needs of people in need.
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Muslims
across the world celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with a refurbished mind through month
long fasting. Eid is a holy celebration to fasten the resolve to maintain the
spiritual purity and impeccable faith gained through month long fasting from
adulterations and contaminations. It is a social event to cement stout human
bonds of love and affinity transcending religious and social considerations.
Eid
announces the auspicious culmination of month long fasting. Fasting is a crass
reminder of hardships of hunger and asks the faithful not to forget the God in
times of prosperity. Eid presents a happy occasion for celebration for the
believers without indulging in carnal desires and satanic temptations. This is
a ‘gift day’ for Muslims after enduring pangs of hunger during fasting to heed
to the commands of divine instructions.
Islam is a
social religion which allows celebrations and festivities subject to refraining
from the forbidden and encouraging virtues in society. Two Eid celebrations,
viz. Eid-ul-Fitr and Ear-ul-Azha, are celebrated by Muslims every year across
the world. Eid-ul-Fitr is observed at the end of fasting whereas Eid-ul-Azha is
celebrated simultaneously to Haj Pilgrimage. The core messages of Eid
celebrations are of happiness and divine remembrance.
Eid celebration
is associated with two important themes; divine and humane. Not to forget Allah
and steadfastly abide by his instructions are essential to divine understanding
of Eid. The celebration beginning with divine exaltations and special prayers
has spiritual contents. It exhorts the faithful to submit themselves to divine
pleasure and not to stomp the earth haughtily.
The humane
aspect of Eid adds glitter and wafts of scent to the celebration. It is an
occasion for family unions, neighborhood visits, outings with family and
visiting friends. The tradition of inviting all neighbors to the house to
delicious feasts without religious considerations adds more happiness to the
occasion. Non-Muslim friends and neighbors visiting my home for Eid
celebrations was highly anticipated for in my childhood which is reciprocated
during Onam and Vishu festivals by vising their respective homes.
The
virtuous liturgies of the day wrapped in spiritual sobriety prod the Muslim
community to work for a brighter future in tandem with societal expectations.
Prophet has religiously prohibited the faithful from fasting on this day. The
message of Eid is that no one should be left with empty stomach wriggling with
hunger. To ensure this, Islam calls for distribution of Fitr Zakat, (compulsory
donation for financially eligible Muslims) prior to attending the Eid prayers.
This charity donation ensures no one is bereft of food at this day and reminds
the faithful of the eternal moral obligation to tend to the needs of the poor.
Bringing
home a destitute child found at a roadside, Prophet Muhammed offered him dress
and food and said to his wife Ayesha; “today the happiness of this child
completed our happiness”. This is the message of Eid to lend helping hands to
those in distress. Fitr Zakat is a mere jurisprudential rendition of social
responsibility to tend to the needs of people in need.
Eid heralds
the noble messages of unity and brotherhood. It entails messages of compassion,
empathy and benevolence. It sends strong
messages against violence and communal discord. It is a gentle reminder of love
prevailing hatred. In practice, Eid is not an exclusive festival of Muslims
alone, but it is a celebration of all who values affection and friendship.
The
festival should be used to weld together social relations. When the communal
wedges are seeping dangerously deep inside into the time-tested social harmony,
Eid should be an occasion to celebrate beauty of coexistence and religious
pluralism. Gestures like inviting neighbors to join the Eid festivals, offering
‘Eid Thuhfa’ (token gifts) and sending social media greetings will definitely
help bring people together and fight cynics and messengers of doom. Social
interactions like on Eid will come a long way in foiling the bids to keep hate
on simmer.
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Grace
Mubashir is a journalism student at IIMC, Delhi
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-culture/eid-fitr-humanity-brotherhood/d/126919
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