EID

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EIDImam Ali Siddiqui , THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EID - Unas (ra) reported that whenthe Prophet Muhammad (saw) migrated from Makkah toMadinah, the people of Madinah used to have twofestivals. On those two days they had carnivals andfestivity. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) asked the Ansaar(the Muslims of Madinah) about it. They replied thatbefore Islam they used to have carnivals on those twojoyous days. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) told them:'Instead of those two days, Allah has appointed twoother days which are better, the days of Eid-al-Fitrand Eid-al-Adha.' (Hadith) EID-AL-FITR is celebrated on the first day ofShaw'waal, at the completion of Ramadan. Shaw'waal isthe 10th month of the Islamic calendar. TheEid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day; it is a trueThanksgiving Day for the believing men and women. Onthis day Muslims show their real joy for the health,strength and the opportunities of life, which Allahhas given to them to fulfill their obligation offasting and other good deeds during the blessed monthof Ramadan. EID-AL-ADHA is celebrated on the tenth day ofZdilhijjah, the 12th and the last month of the Islamiccalendar. It is also very joyous day; it is a feast ofself-sacrifice, commitment and obedience to Allah. Itcommemorates the great act of obedience to Allah bythe Prophet Ibrahim (as) in showing his willingness tosacrifice his son Ismael (as). Allah accepted hissacrifice and replaced Prophet Ismael (as) with alamb. Although Hajj has no relation with theEid-al-Adha, but the five days long rituals of Hajjare also done during this month culminating on 9th ofZdilhijjah. Many rituals of Hajj are enactment of thestruggle of the family Ibrahim (as) specially hissecond wife Hajirah (as) and her son Prophet Ismael(as). THE SUNNAH OF EID: 1. Wake up early.2. Offer Salatul Fajr. 3.Prepare for personalcleanliness take care of details of clothing, etc. 4. Take a Ghusl (bath) after Fajr. 5. Brush your teeth. 6. Dress up, putting on best clothes available,whether new or cleaned old ones. 6. Use perfume (men only). 7. Have breakfast on Eid-al-Fitr before leaving forprayer ground. On Eid-al-Adha, eat breakfast afterSalaat or after sacrifice if you are doing asacrifice. 8. Pay Zakaat-al-Fitr before Salaat-al-Eid (onEid-al-Fitr). 9. Go to prayer ground early. 10. Offer Salaat-al-Eid in congregation in an openplace except when whether is not permitting like rain,snow, etc. 11. Use two separate routes to and from the prayerground. 12. Recite the following Takbir on the way to Salaatand until the beginning of Salaat-al-Eid. OnEid-al-Adha, Takbir starts from Mughrib on the 9thZdilhijjah and last until the Asr on the 12thZdilhijjah: Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. La ila-haill-lal-lah. Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. Wa-lilahillhamd. (Allah is greater. Allah is greater. There is nogod but Allah. Allah is greater. Allah is greater. Andall praises are for Allah). HOW TO OFFER SALAAT-AL-EID: Ibn Abbass (ra) reported:' I participated in the Salaat-al-Eid-al-Fitr with theMessenger of Allah (saw), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) andUthman (ra), and all of them held Salaat-al-Eid beforeKhutbah, and then the Prophet Muhammad (saw) deliveredthe Khutbah (sermon)'. Hadith, Muslim WHO SHOULD GO TO THE PRYER GROUND AND OFFERSALAAT-AL-EID: Umm Atiyah (ra) reported: 'TheMessenger of Allah (saw) commanded us to bring out onEid-al- Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young women,hijab-observing adult women and the menstruatingwomen. The menstruating women stayed out of actualSalaat but participated in good deeds and Duaa(supplication)'. I (Umm Atiyah) said to the HolyProphet (saw): 'O! Messenger of Allah, one does nothave an outer garment.' He replied: "Let her sistercover her with her garment." Hadith Muslim. On the Eidday, every believing man, woman and child must go tothe prayer ground and participate in this joyousoccasion. STRUCTURE OF SALAAT-AL-EID: Salaat-al-Eid is wajib(strongly recommended, just short of obligatory). Itconsists of two Rakaat (units) with six or thirteenadditional Takbirs. It must be offered incongregation. The Salaat is followed by the Khutbah.The Khutbah is part of the worship and listening to itis Sunnah. During the Khutbah, the Imam must remindthe community about its responsibilities andobligations towards Allah, fellow Muslims and thefellow human beings. The Imam must encourage theMuslims to do good and ward off evil. The Muslimcommunity must also be directed to the state of thecommunity and the Ummah at large and the feelings ofsacrifice and Jihaad should be aroused in thecommunity. At the conclusion of the Salaat the Muslims shouldconvey greetings to each other, give reasonable giftsto the youngsters and visit each other at their homes.Muslims should also take this opportunity to invitetheir non-Muslims neighbors, co-workers, classmatesand business acquaintances to Eid festivities toexpose them to Islam and Muslim culture. SACRIFICE AND EID-AL-ADHA: Those who have enoughwealth to pay Zakaat must offer the sacrifice forAllah. It is the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim (as) anda strongly recommended Sunnah. A lamb, sheep, goat ,cow, buffalo, or camel can be offered as thesacrifice. There are seven shares in a cow, buffaloand camel. The sacrifice should be accomplished byslaughtering the animal after Salaat-al-Eid. Thesacrifice also called Udhiyah or Qurbani last forthree days from 10th Zdilhijjah until the sunset of12th Zdilhijjah. The meat should be divided into threeshares: one for the family the second for relativesand friend and the third share is for the poor and theneedy. (Written & copyright by Imam Ali Siddiqui,1982)