THE DAY OF EID UL-FITR
Eid Ul-Fitr is a canonical festival of Islam, which is celebrated on the 1st of Shawwal. It is a joyous occasion that marks the end of the blessed month of Ramadhan. The month of Ramadhan is very honourable, full of mercy, generosity, and glory. The Mu'min observed fast, performed Taraveeh Namaaz, recited and listened to The Holy Quran, and worshipped Allah Ta'ala, according to His, and according to the commands of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They are being rewarded on this auspicious day, and are rejoicing. There is abundance of food and sweets.
Hazrat Anas Ibne Malik(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet ﷺ never proceeded for the prayer on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr unless he ﷺ had eaten some dates. Prophet ﷺ used to eat odd number of dates'. (Bukhari).
On this auspicious day, Muslims greet and congratulate each other, visit friends and relatives. There is praise of Allah Ta'ala and recitation of durood upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Hazrat Wahab(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Allah Ta'ala created Jannah on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr. On this auspicious day, the tree of Tuba was planted.
Hazrat Sa'id al-Kudri(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that a man asked Prophet ﷺ, 'what is Tuba?' Prophet ﷺ replied, 'It is a tree in Paradise as wide as a hundred years of travel. The clothes of the people of Paradise will come from its leaves'.
Hazrat Wahab(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that 'on the day Eid Ul Fitr, Hazrat Jibreel(alaihis salaam) was appointed to descend with revelations. On this auspicious day, Iblees screames out crying. The other shaitaan surround Iblees and ask the reason for screaming. Iblees replies that 'Allah Ta'ala has forgiven all the ummati of Prophet ﷺ. Now, go and mislead them again'.
Hazrat Abbas(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet ﷺ said, ' when the day of Eid Ul-Fitr begins, the angels descend on earth, where they take their positions at access points of roads, calling out with a voice that is heard by the entire creation of Allah Ta'ala except humans and jins, 'O ummah of Prophet ﷺ! Come out to your most Noble and Gracious Lord, who grants much, and pardons the major sins'. When the ummah proceed to their places of prayer, Allah Ta'ala says to His angels, 'O My angels! What is the reward of a worker when he has done his work?' The angels reply, 'O Lord and our Master! Receive his reward in full'. Allah Ta'ala says, ' I call you witness that for their fasts of Ramadhan and for their standing in prayer at night, I have made their reward My Pleasure and My Forgiveness. Depart from here, you are forgiven'.'
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 'on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr, whoever recites 'Subhan Allah Wa Bi Hamdihi' and conveys the sawab to the deceased Mu'min, then in every grave one thousand light (noor) will enter. And when the person doing this passes away, then there will be one thousand light in his grave.'
Eid Ul-Fitr is the day on which the rich, the poor, children, adults and the Muslims rejoice. Greetings and gifts are exchanged. The Muslims have a bath (ghusul), perform ablution (wudu), put on new clothes, put on fragrance and gather in mosques and open grounds (eidgah), reciting 'Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La Ilaaha Illallaahu wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Wa Lillaahil hamd'.
Every Mu'min is bestowed upon the bounty and mercy of Allah Ta'ala by the sadqa and mediation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Hazrat Anas(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ arrived in Madina Muawwarah, he ﷺ learned that the people of Madina had set aside two days for rejoicing, socialising and for sports. When Prophet ﷺ asked about these two days, they replied, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in the days of ignorance, we used to hang out on these days socialising'. Prophet ﷺ replied, 'rather Allah Ta'ala has bestowed upon you two better days, Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Ul-Adha. Hence, the two Eids bestowed upon us is from the court of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
This auspicious day is known as 'fitr' because on this day the poor and the needy, and the orphans are given fitrana. The rich are to spend in the path of Allah to gain His Pleasure, and the Pleasure of Prophet ﷺ. The poor get this wealth and they also engage' in rejoicing the festival of Eid Ul-Fitr. Thus, both the rich and the poor rejoice.
Hazrat Abbas(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet ﷺ said that sadqa e fitrana is obligatory (wajib). Sadqa e fitrana is wajib upon every member of the family, including children and the elderly.
Hazrat Ibne Umar(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates, 'the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would order paying sadqa e fitrana before going to salaat on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr. (Bukhari).
The sadqa e fitrana compensates for any shortcomings that may have occurred in the fasts of Ramadhan. Sadqa e Fitrana makes the fast (roza) pure and clean before being presented in the court of Allah Ta'ala.
On this auspicious day, love and affection must be shown to the poor and the orphans. Feed the poor and the needy. Engage in the worship of Allah Ta'ala and seek the Pleasure of Allah Ta'ala.
Hazrat Jabir Ibne Abdulllah(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates, 'on the day of Eid, Prophet ﷺ used to return (after offering the Eid prayer) through a way different from that by which he went'. (Bukhari)
Hazrat Jabir Ibne Abdullah(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that, 'there was no Adhan called on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr or Eid Ul-Adha, neither before the Imaam came out nor afterwards, and there was no Iqamah'. (Muslim)
Hazrat Abdullah Ibne Umar(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates , 'the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to offer the prayer of Eid Ul-Fitr and Eid Ul-Adha and then deliver the sermon (Khutba) after the prayer'.
Once, after the Eid Ul-Fitr prayer, Prophet ﷺ leaned on Hazrat Bilal(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and delivered a sermon. Prophet ﷺ praised Allah Ta'ala and preached about following the commands of Allah Ta'ala. He ﷺ ordered the women to fear Allah Ta'ala.
Allah Ta'ala states in The Holy Quran:
'Certainly, he attains success who gets purified'
'And who remembers the names of his Lord and offers salaah'
(Surah Al-A'laa. verse 14,15)
Certainly, he attains success that gets purified, remembers Allah Ta'ala and establishes prayer. In the present time, people search for roads leading to success, but for Muslims, Allah Ta'ala says the success is in the purification of oneself, in the dhikr of Allah Ta'ala, and in establishing prayer. In the verse of The Holy Quran, there is a word 'tazakka', which is from the word Zakaat. Hence, to purify ones wealth, one has to pay the compulsory charity (Zakaat). '
The day of Eid Ul-Fitr has to be utilised according to the commands of Allah Ta'ala. It is better to perform six Namaaz on this day rather than the regular five Namaaz in a day.
Prophet ﷺ said, 'from the beginning of Ramadhan till Laylat Ul-Qadr, everyday and night, Allah Ta'ala frees six hundred thousand persons from Hell. On the night of Qadr, Allah Ta'ala frees the number of people from Hell equivalent to the number freed from the beginning of Ramadhan till Laylat Ul-Qadr. And on the day of Eid Ul-Fitr, Allah Ta'ala frees the number of persons from Hell equivalent to the total number of people freed in the entire month of Ramadhan.
This article is an abridged English translation of an Urdu sermon delivered by his eminence, Peer Syed Imroz Dean Saifi, Hanfi, Maturidi of Masjid Anwaar e Madina, Surrey BC Canada
If there is an inaccurate translation, please pardon it and not let it be a means to negatively reflect on the honoured presenter.
