husband and I begin making the EidTakbeers through all of thetraffic
and the stop lights. Iwas feeling quite content, it was after all,
Eid. But notonly Eid, I had been to many other Eid prayers
before...this one was somehow different for me.Since I have converted
to Islam almost seven years ago, it has taken me quite sometime to
begin to comprehend the greatnessof this religion and to study it a
little more in-depth. It has taken some time to understand why and how
we do certain things as Muslims. Also, it has taken some time for this
holiday to have a deep meaning for me as well as time for me to grow
as a Muslim. I began thinking about another reason why this Eid was
different for me. I realize now that it was also very special because
I was going to the Eid prayer where I knew almost everyone there,
almost as though they were my close family (and for many converts to
Islamthat means a great deal).
As my husband and I arrived at the place of the prayer and we looked
to see a good friend of my husband's directing the traffic. We parked
and I walked towards the prayerarea, it was such a peaceful morning. I
entered the prayer area, and I was greeted by a couple of sisters that
I know to be kind-hearted and Masha Allah, pious Muslimahs. They were
directing the other sisters towards the Qibla and directing them to
remove their shoes from the court area as they passed through the big
doors of the gymnasium. My job was handing out the Takbeer sheet to al
those entering. As I stood by the entrance door, saying,"As-salaamu
Alaykum, Eid Mubarak and TaqabballahuMina wa Minkum (Peace beupon you,
Happy Eid and May Allah accept your good deeds and mine)", everyone
was smiling and joyful. Some sisters grabbed me with delight hugging
me and others shaking my hand enthusiastically. SubhanAllah, I
couldn't help but feel so strong in my Eman as I was on this last Eid
day. A feeling of trust, and a feeling of closeness that you cannot
experience in any other way. I had been a Christianbefore, and had
been to the Christian celebrations and through all the
hooplasurrounding it, not a shredof a similar feeling ever existed as
on the Eid.
I thought of the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) where he had told the
us, after seeing the people of Medinah had two holidays they
celebrated before Eid,he said, "Allah has given you better than those
(feasts): The Eid Al-Udhaa and the Eid Al-Fitr" [Ahmad, Abu Dawoud &
Nasaa'ee] SubhanAllah it isso true. Even with all the sparkle and
pizzazz that the non-Muslims surround their holidays with, it still
cannot compare to the feeling of the Eid. A feelingof true kinship
with your fellow brothers and sisters in Islam, and true feeling of
peacefulness. Masha Allah, it is something to ponder over, and we must
always keep in mind what a great blessing it really is that Allah has
bestowed on us all the Greatest of Mercies...that He (SWT) made us
Muslims. Amy Allah (SWT) keep us all on the Siratul Mustaqeem (The
Straight Path) and bless us all with a strong Eman, ameen.
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