Islam. The first is called Eidal-Fitr (the Festival of Fast Breaking).
It falls on the first day of Shawwaal, the tenth month of the Muslim
year, following the month of Ramadhaan in which the Holy Qur'an was
revealed and which is the month of fasting.
The second is called Eid al-Adhaa (the Festival of sacrifice). It
falls on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the final month of the Muslim
year. The Islamic Eid are unique in every way. To them there can be
nothingsimilar in any other religion or any other sociopolitical
system. Besides their highly spiritual and moral characteristics, they
have matchless qualities.
Each Eid is a wholesome celebration of a remarkable achievement of the
individual Muslim in the service of Allah SWT. The first Eid comes
after anentire month of 'absolute' fasting during the days of the
month. The second Eid marks the completion of Hajj to Mecca, a course
in which the Muslim handsomely demonstrateshis renouncement of the
mundane concerns and hearkens only to the eternal voice of Allah SWT.
Each Eid is a thanksgiving day where Muslims assemble in a brotherly
and joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to Allah SWT for
helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligations prior to the Eid.
This form of thanksgiving is not confined to spiritual devotion and
verbal expressions. It goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a
handsome shapeof social and humanitarianspirit. The Muslims who have
completed the fasting of Ramadhaan express their thanks to Allah SWT
by means of distributing alms among the poor and needy on thefirst Eid
before the prayer.
Eid also is a day of remembrance. Even in their most joyful times
theMuslims make a flesh stall of the day by a plural session of
worship to AllahSWT. They pray to Him andglorify His name to
demonstrate their remembrance of His favors. Along with that course,
they remember thedeceased by praying for their souls, the needy by
extending a hand of help, the grieved by showing them sympathy and
consolation, the sick by cheerful visits and utterances of good
wishes,the absentees by cordial greetings and sincere considerateness.
Thus, the meaning of remembrance on the day transcends all limits and
expands over far-reaching dimensions ofhuman life.
Most of the imaam when delivering the Eid khutbah will mention that
Eid is a day of victory. The individual who succeeds insecuring his
spiritual rightsand growth receives the Eid with a victorious spirit.
The individual who faithfully observes the duties, which are
associated with the Eid, is a triumphant one. He proves that he holds
a strong command over his desires, exercises a sound self-control and
enjoys thetaste of disciplinary life.
Once a person acquires these qualities, he has achieved his greatest
victory because the personwho knows how to controlhimself and
discipline his desires is free from sin andwrong, from fear and
cowardice, from vice and indecency, from jealousy and greed, from
humiliation and all other causes of enslavement. Therefore, when he
receives the Eid, which marks the achievement of this freedom, he is
in fact celebrating his victory, andthe Eid thus becomes a day of
victory.
This is the proper meaningof an Islamic Eid. It is a dayof
thanksgiving, a day of festive remembrance and a day of moral victory.
An Islamic Eid is all this and is much more because it is a day of
Islam, a day of AllahSWT. Celebrate this comingEid with the true imaan
and taqwa. InshaaAllah, besides having enjoyment,we will be blessed by
AllahSWT.
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