of fasting wherein the faithful have spent their time praying and
beseeching Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala for forgiveness and
mercy.For many, the most glorious month of Ramadan was not just an
abstention from food and drink. Rather,it was an exercise in patience
and discipline. Eid-ul-Fitr is the celebration for those who fasted
and obeyed Almighty Allah's rules and teachings. It is for those who
spent the most wonderful and month of caring and sharing, the month
of patience and the month of of constant Ibadah in complete devotion
to Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen. Eid is a time when the entire
Muslim community comes together to share in each others joys and
blessings and also to lessen the burden of those who are suffering.
It is preceded by people shopping and looking around for gifts for
their near anddear ones. It is a time when the bright lights from
homes and shops illuminates our life. Weuse this day and the following
days to spread happiness and social harmony by visiting our friends
and relatives and offering our Duahs to all those who have departed
from the Doonya. Gifts are exchanged during Eid by young and old
alike. We also visit the elderly and the sick. Eid is a time where all
kinds or festivities prevail. Many of us gormandize to make up for
"lost food" during the month of Ramadan.
However, with all the going around we sometimes forget our lesser
privileged brethren. We forget that there are many out there who have
nothing to celebrate. There are those among our brothers and sisters
forwhom Eid day is just another ordinary day. There are those who open
their cupboards on Eid day and find them bare. There are those in
hospitals whowill go through a bleak and lonely day with no one
visiting them. Friendless, deprived of company, they will have no one
to offer solace or comfort. Let us therefore see to it that our
deprived brethren welcome the day of Eid-ul-Fitr with warmthand hope.
This, after all, is a day of caring and sharing and bringing joy and
happiness to those who are less fortunate.This is the essence and
message of this most wonderful day of reward.
O People of Imaan! As we buy gifts and clothes for our children, let
us earmark a special sum for those who cannot afford to buy. We should
also instill in our children a sense of compassion so that when they
buy something they will also think of their unfortunate brethren. Let
us teach them the art of giving, the art ofcaring and sharing. The
desire of wishing for others what we would wish for ourselves. We
should let them know that there are millions of children in war torn
areas of Iraq, Lebanon,Afghanistan, Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya,
Bosnia, Kosova, the Philippines and the Caucasus region, the poor and
downtrodden areas of Africa, Asia and South America, and even in the
forgotten ghettos of Europe and North America who do not have the
basic necessities to make this day a different day- a day of joy and
happiness, a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving.
Ayyuhal Muslimoon! This is a day for praying and remembering our
unfortunate brothers and sisters who are victims of drought, famine
and other natural disasters as well as those who had survived the
devastating earthquake in Pakistanand Kashmir and the recent floods in
parts of Africa and Bangladesh. They needour urgent help and astrue
Muslims we must do whatever is necessary to assist them in rebuilding
their lives. We cannot divest ourselves from the misery of others. We
cannot shrug it off saying that it does not concern us. To do this
would be an injustice to humanity and to ourImaan. The Most Holy and
Glorious Quran reminds us in verse 8 of Surah Al Ma'idah:
"Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah for
Allah is well acquainted with all that you do."
Many of us donate money to charity and fulfill our religious duty.
However, if we actually meet the recipients of our charity the
perception of charity changes. There is a feeling of belonging when
the recipients and givers meet. Islamic ideology teaches us to be kind
and compassionate. Our Beloved Nabee Muhammad SallallahooAlayhi
Wasallam said:"I and the provider of the orphan will be together."
And what greater prize is there for anyone of us than to be around our
beloved Nabee - Rahmatul Liel Ala'meenSallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam? All
we need for that is Muhabbat, compassion, sincerity and a feeling of
brotherhood and understanding. And that will decide the quality of our
life on earth and the hereafter.
From the first moment that the light of Allah-wariness shines into the
heart of a human being possessing faith,he or she becomes conscious of
its worth and significance. Humility, modesty and kindness are proper
only before Almighty Allah, Who created all the existents and the
world of being with His Will, and human beings are His real servants.
Basically, humility in front of theMost Exalted Creator of the heavens
and the earth is itself the greatest source of human honour and
dignity.
As Muslims we must remember that the vital force that lies within a
pious person keeps him or her aware of the realities of life and he or
she never gets swallowed up by the deep and shoreless sea of mundane
things for the sake of enjoying life. That is because our intellect
and souls are infused with the Truths of the Din of Haqq and we view
everything in the perspective of an Islamic world view. Islam attaches
so muchvalue to the affairs of the faithful that their station of
honour is mentioned along with the Majesty of AlmightyAllah Subhanahu
Wata'ala and His Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam in [part
of] verse 8 of Surah Al Munafiqun:
"But honour belongs to Allah and His
Messenger and to the Believers."
O Ummatul Muslimeen!May Almighty Allah Most Merciful grant us all the
good fortune to revive the Islamic values in our midst andto cherish
them with all our heart: to bow and bend only before Him and to fear
no onebesides Him, and be loyal to His Din, and proud of His Message!
We beseech Him from the depths of our hearts to confer this great
wealth upon us for He is indeed, Able to do all things. This is the
humble Message ofEid to you, the believers of the Din of Haqq. Cure
the ills of the world with the panacea you possess. The world will
then know that this radical cure is possible only with the elixir
still preserved in its pristine purity by the Ummah of Almighty
Allah's Beloved - NabeeMuhammed al-Mustapha Sallallahoo Alayhi
Wasallam. This is the essence and message of Eid-ul-Fitr - the day the
Mala'eeka in heaven call it the Day of Youm-ul-Ja'iza - the day of
Great Reward.
And Almighty Allah knows best.
Baarak Allaahu Feekumwa-sal Allaahu wa-Sallam 'alaa
Nabiyyinaa Muhammad SallallahooAlayhi Wasallam.
Was Salamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.
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