Eid-ul-Fitr

Living in the 21st century it is not surprising that so many religions
and ideologies exist in the world today. Even though there are so many
religions, each is distinguished by its own customs, traditions and
celebrations. For example, the Christians celebrate Christmas and the
Jews celebrate Hanukah. And while the Hindus celebrate Divali, the
Chinese celebrate the Chinese New Year. However, it is very strange
that none of these celebrations, traditions, and customs are supported
by any authentic source that exists in their ideologies and/or
religions.
Crusading through the history of time, we have realized that the
advent of Islam has played a magnificent and important role on
millions of lives. Even though the history of Islam is enriched with
great events and glorious moments, us Muslims only celebrate twice a
year. Why?
It has been reported by Hazrat Anas (ra): "When the Prophet of Allah
(saw) came to Madinah he noticed that the people used to celebrate two
days. He asked them:'Why do you celebrate these two days?'They
replied: 'We have been celebrating these two days since the days of
ignorance.' Thereafter the Prophet of Allah (saw) respondedto them,
saying: 'Allah (swt) has changed these two days with two better days,
'Eid-ul-Adha and 'Eid-ul-Fitr,'" (Targheeb wa tarheeb)
THE NIGHT PRECEDING 'EID-UL-FITR
Even though this night has been named Lailatul Jaiza (the night of
reward), it is unfortunate that us Muslims do not take advantage
ofsuch an opputunity to gain reward and blessings. Rather, at times we
get so engaged in renting cars, shopping for nice clothes, applying
henna etc., that we become negligent of the commands of Allah (swt).
The scholars have stated that Allah (swt) rewards His fasting slaves
on this very night, by accepting one's du'as. Thus a person's
everywish and prayer will be granted. Therefore one should perform
nafl, recite Qur'an and perform zikr on this night. The Holy Prophet
(saw) is also reported to have said:"Whoever stands up (inworship) in
the night preceding the two eids expecting reward form Allah, his
heart will not die when other hearts will die,"(Ibn Majah). In order
to benefit and gain blessings from this night one should strive to
perform a great number of good deeds on this sacred occasion.
ON THE DAY OF 'EID-UL-FITR
To perform the following on the day of 'Eid are Sunnah:
1.To wake up early.
2.To useMiswak.
3.To take a shower.
4.To put on one's best clothes.
5.To use'Itr(Scent).
6.To eat something sweet, preferably dates before the 'Eidprayer.
7.To reciteTakbir-ut-Tashriq(Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La Ilaha
Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd) in a loud
voice while going to the 'Eid prayer.
8.To proceed to the 'Eid prayer one way and to return home from another way.
THE FASTING OF SIX DAYS IN THE MONTH OF SHAWWAL.
The Prophet (saw) said,"Whoevercompletes the fast of Ramadan and then
fasts an additional six days in the month of Shawwal, he will be
entitled to a reward just as if he had fasted throughout the entire
year,"(Muslim).
The scholars of Islam, commentating on this tradition have stated,
that every good deed is multiplied by ten. The Holy Qur`an
states:"Whoever performs a good deed, shall have ten times the like
thereof to his credit."(Surah An'am, verse 160).Therefore the reward
for fasting during the month of Ramadan (for thirty days) amounts, or
is equal to the fasting of 300 days. If the fast of Ramadan is
followedby six additional fasts in the month of Shawwal (the month
following Ramadan) A person willbe entitled to a reward just as if he
fasted 360 days - an entire year (300 for Ramadan, 60 for the six
fasts of Shawwal). Nevertheless we should try to usethis opportunity
in acquiring such a magnificent reward.
Eid Mubarak

Eid al-Fitr - Understanding Islam

There are two major holidays in the Islamic calendar. The first is
calledEid al-Fitr, or the Festival of Fast-Breaking. This celebration
marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and falls on the first
day of Shawwal, the month directly after Ramadan.
In preparation for this holiday, Muslims give money in charity so that
every family can enjoy the festivities and have a good meal. On the
early morning of the holiday, Muslims gather in a local mosque or
outdoor spacefor the special Eid prayers (salaat-l-'Eid). Every man,
woman, and child is welcome to attend this community prayer, which is
preceded by a sermon. Following a short prayer, worshipers greet each
other and begin several days of family visits.
The festivities of the holiday traditionally last for three days.
During this time, Muslims try to spend time with family and friends,
visit the sick and elderly, and offer games and gifts to the children.
Muslims thus celebrate the completion of another fasting month, seek
blessings and forgiveness, and look forward to the opportunity to fast
againthe following year.
The two Islamic "Eid" holidays are a joyful occasion for Muslims.
Non-Muslim friends and family are usually welcome to join in the
celebration, and small gifts or kind words are appropriate. The most
common phrase of greeting at this time isEid Mubarak!(Happy Eid!).

Dought & clear - Refutation of those who say that women should not pray Eid in the mosque

Why Women are not allowed for EID's Namaz in Masjid?
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever says that women should not pray Eid in the mosque shouldnote
that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded
women to go out to the Eid prayers. It was narrated that Umm 'Atiyyah
said: "We were commanded to go out on the day of Eid, even to bring
out the virgins from their seclusion and the menstruating women, who
would be behind the people, joining in their takbeer and du'aa's,
sharing the blessings of this day."(Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
al-Jumu'ah, 918)
But if a woman is menstruating she shouldkeep away from the prayer
place and not enter it, but she should witness the good and the du'aa'
of the Muslims, and listen to the khutbah from outside the prayer
place.A woman should avoid wearing adornments and go out wearing old
clothes which do not form any kind of adornment in themselves, so that
she will not be a source of temptation to men. She should not go out
wearing perfume. 'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak said, "If a woman insists
on going out, then her husband should give her permission to go out
wearing old clothes and not wearing adornments. If she insists on that
then the husband has the right toprevent her from going out." And
Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear - Will every Muslim enterParadise, even if he was a hypocrite or did not pray or committed shirk?

Will all the Muslims, including the hypocrites, those who did not pray
and those who committed shirk, enter Paradise after spending some time
in Hell?
Praise be to Allah.
We should understandproperly the general principle concerning this
matter, the matter of entering Paradise and spending eternity in Hell.
It is a simple matter that is explained in a brief hadeeth that was
narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh(135) from Jaabir (may Allah be pleased
with him) who said: A man cameto the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two
deeds that make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?
He said: "Whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter
Paradise, and whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter
Hell."
An-Nawawi said: Withregard to the words, "What are the two deeds that
make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?" what is meant are the
characteristic that makes Paradise inevitable and the characteristic
that makes Hell inevitable. End quote.
This hadeeth explains that what makes it inevitable that a person will
enter Paradise is if he dies believing in Tawheed, and what makes it
inevitable that a person will spend eternity in Hell is if he dies
believing in shirk.
This is a definitive principle that is well-known and well established
in the religion of Islam. There are mutawaatir texts which confirm and
affirm it. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation ofthe
meaning):
"Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in
worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He
pleases, andwhoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has
indeed invented a tremendous sin"
[an-Nisa' 4:48].
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained, in
the hadeeth about intercession, the situation of the sinners in Hell,
and he explained that no one will be brought out of Hell except those
who died believing in Tawheed and uttered the Shahaadah (testimony of
faith), and had in their hearts something of faith: "There will be
brought out of the Fireanyone who said,Laa ilaaha ill-Allah(there is
no god but Allah) and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of
a grain of barley. Then there willbe brought out of the Fire anyone
who saidLaa ilaaha ill-Allah(there is no god but Allah) and had in his
heart goodness equal to the weight of a grain of wheat. Then there
will be brought out of the Fire anyone who saidLaa ilaaha
ill-Allah(there is no god but Allah) and hadin his heart goodness
equal to the weight of a small ant."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6861; Muslim, 285.
Based on that, we can find out the situation of those mentioned in the question.
1.
If a person fell into major shirk, whether he was originally a mushrik
like the Jews, Christians, Buddhists and other types of disbelievers,
or he was a Muslim then he apostatised from Islam by falling into
major shirk – as mentioned in the question – then his claim to belong
to Islam or his having a Muslim name will be of no benefit to him, and
neither will any good deeds that he did and so on, if he fellinto
major shirk and died in that state without having repented. Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW), as it was to
those (Allahs Messengers) before you: 'If you joinothers in worship
with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you
will certainly be among the losers.'
Nay! But worship Allah (Alone and none else), and be among the grateful"
[az-Zumar 39:65-66].
2.
The one who does not pray at all, either in his house or in the
mosque, and does not attend Jumu'ah or prayers in congregation, has
alsorendered his good deeds invalid and has falling into kufr by
notpraying at all. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "The covenant that stands between us and them
– i.e., the characteristic that separates the Muslimsfrom the
disbelievers – is the prayer. Whoever does not pray has disbelieved."
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2545; an-Nasaa'i, 459. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
For more information on the kufr of the one who does not pray, see the
answer to question no. 5208
3.
With regard to the hypocrites, if what is meant is the people ofmajor
hypocrisy, namely those who make a show of being believers in this
worldwhen they are concealing kufr in their hearts and hiding it from
the people, they will be in a worse position than the kuffaar and
mushrikeen. Hence their fate will be in the lowest levels of Hell, as
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the
Fire; no helper will you find for them"
[an-Nisa' 4:145].
4.
But if what you meant by hypocrites is those who fall into some acts
of hypocrisy, such as lying or betraying atrust or breaking a promise;
or he fell into some kind of minor shirk, such as showing off or
swearing by something other than Allah; or who fell into some major or
minor sin – such a person does not become a kaafir just by doing that
thing. It does not put him beyond the pale of Islam and he will not
spend eternityin Hell because of it, if he dies believing in Tawheed.
Rather his case is up to Allah: if He wills He will punishhim for his
sin, then admit him toParadisebecause of his belief in Tawheed, or He
willbestow His grace upon him from the outset and admit him
intoParadise and forgive him for the sins that he committed.
Al-Bukhaari (6933) and Muslim (1659) narrated that Abu Dharr said: The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Jibreel appeared to me at the side of the harrah and said: 'Give your
ummah the glad tidings that whoever dies not associating anything with
Allah will enter Paradise.' I said: 'O Jibreel, even if he steals and
even if commits zina?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Evenif he steals and
even if commits zina?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Evenif he steals and
even if he commits zina?' He said: 'Yes, and even if he drinks
alcohol.'"
And Allah knows best.