Some people describe Eid as a feast, wearing new clothes, going out and enjoying their day. Eid in Arabic means the day of happiness. Many M...
Some people describe Eid as a feast, wearing new clothes, going out and enjoying their day. Eid in Arabic means the day of happiness. Many Muslims celebrate this day without knowing the purpose and the meaning of it; they do not know the reason for their happiness and joy. Muslims need to ponder upon what it is they are doing to serve Allah SWT that they are happy about?
Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz RA, the caliph of the time had two of his daughters come to him wearing dresses with holes in them and asked for new Eid dresses. He RA told them, “The day of Eid is not for those who dress in new clothing, but it is the day for those who fear the Day of Judgment.”
We have become so superficial that even our worship and celebrations have become meaningless. We try to fill our lives with unnecessary things and don’t even care about the purpose behind our acts of devotion. We have lost our identity as Muslims to the point we try to celebrate like non-Muslims. We even dress like them which is often contradicting to Islamic teachings, and don’t lift a brow. We are supposed to imitate the prophet SAW and follow the manners of Islam in all our actions. There is a dress code for male and female in Islam. The prophet SAW said:
"If One Imitates Another Nation He Will Be From Them.” (Abu-Dawud)
Our Celebrations — A Generous Gift:
Muslims have two days of celebration during the year, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. The Eid after Ramadan is a gift of Allah and an outpour of mercy, pleasure, bounty and forgiveness from Allah SWT towards us. We have one full month of work for Allah SWT and on this day it is for us to collect our gift and our reward. Thus, we celebrate what Allah SWT allowed us to have (ie. iman, ability to fast, to pray and to remember Him). Hence, we are in a state of thanking the Creator. It has another name in the kingdom of Allah SWT known as Yawm-ul-Ja-izah , (the day of gift).
When the believers have emerged and presented themselves at their place of prayer, Allah Ta’ala will say to His angels, “O My angels, what is the recompense of the hired labourer, once he has done his job?” The angels will reply, “Our Lord and our Master, You will pay him his wages in full!” So Allah Ta’ala will say, “I now call upon you to bear witness, O My angels, that I have conferred My acceptance and My forgiveness as the reward for their fasting and night vigil during the month of Ramadan.”
Allah Ta’ala will then say, “O My servants put your requests to Me now, for this I swear by My Might and My Majesty, you will not ask Me this day, in this gathering of yours for anything connected with your life hereafter, without My granting it to you; nor for anything connected with your life in this lower world, without My attending to your need. By My Might and My Majesty, I will not put you to shame, nor will I expose you to disgrace amongst those who are faithfully committed to observing the laws (of Shariah). Now you may depart, knowing that you have been forgiven. You have won My approval, and I am well pleased with you.” [Ghunyalit Taalibi Tareeqal Haq, Vol. 3]
Therefore, this day holds great spiritual importance.
Virtue Of Eid Prayer:
The prophet SAW did not usually encourage women to go outside of their home for prayers, however, he SAW strongly advised everyone to attend the two Eid prayers. He encouraged entire families to attend the prayers including children and menstruating women. (Bukhari and Muslim) One may ask why? Prophet SAW said words to the effect of: “Do not deny them of the goodness which spreads on this day.”
When one goes out of the home to Eid salah there are angels present making dua’a, making dhikr, and recording the names and steps of the attendees to be presented to Allah SWT.
He SWT showers us with mercy and love, which spreads among us. Only if we understood the magnitude of this day, we would not stop praising and thanking Allah SWT!
Another purpose of this gathering is to demonstrate to everyone the unity of Muslims and the bounty of Islam. It is a time for Muslims to feel the joy of being united and to build strength, and to generate mercy to each other by giving charity before the prayer. That’s why it is recommended to delay Eid-ul Fitr until Zakat-ul-Fitr is given to the needy Muslims so they can join the ummah in the celebrations. Can you see the bounty of Islam?
Imagine a king who is very happy and decides to give out gifts on a particular day. What would you do? You would go and ask him all that you want, especially when you know that he is happy and won’t deny you. Prophet SAW said:
“Whoever spends the nights of the two Eids in praying qiyaam al-layl, seeking reward from Allah, his heart will not die on the Day when hearts will die.” (Ibn Majah)
Closer to the end of time Allah will kill the hearts of the people. People will be living but they will lose the ability to see, comprehend and understand the purpose of creation. Those who illuminate the night of Eid, Allah SWT will keep their hearts alive when the majority of hearts are dead.
How To Celebrate The Day:
As soon as one finds out the day of Eid they should start saying takbirat.
Takbirat are:
Allahu Akbar x3 La ilaha illa Allah
Allahu Akbar x2 wa lil laahil hamd
Repeat 3 times or more
Allahu akbar kabira, wal hamdulillah kathira
Wa subhana Allahi bukratan wa asila
Laa ilaha illa Allah
Wahdah, sadaqa wa`dah
Wa nasara `abdah,
Wa a`azza jundah wa hazamal ahzaba wahdah
Laa ilaha illa Allah
Wa la na`budu illa iyah
Mukhliseena lahuddina walaw kariha-lkaafiroun
Allahumma Salli `ala Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa `ala aali Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa `ala ashabi Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa `ala ansari Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa `ala azwaji Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa `ala thuriyati Sayyidina Muhammad
Wa sallim tasleeman katheera
Rabbi ighfir li wa liwalidayya warhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera
Allah is great (3 times) no one is God except Allah
Allah is Great (3 times) and all praise is to Allah
Allah is the Greatest and lots of praise to Allah (is due)
Glory to Allah in the morning and in the evening
No God except Allah, alone
He fulfilled His promise and gave victory to his slave
And strengthened His soldiers
and alone defeated the Ahzab
No God except Allah, alone
And we do not worship except Him
Even if the unbelievers dislike it
Oh Allah send blessings on our master Muhammad
And the household of our master Muhammad
And the Sahaba of our master Muhammad
And the Ansar of our Master Muhammad
And the wives of our master Muhammad
And the descendents of our master Muhammad
And save abundantly.
Oh Allah forgive me and my parents, and have mercy on them as they have taken care of me when I was a child. Because the night of Eid is a chance to gain the pleasure of Allah SWT, one should illuminate it with maximum amount of takbirat, dhikr, recitation of Quran, and remembrance of Allah SWT.
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