Eid -ul-Fitr;The Festival Of Peace

10.9.2010

Friday

Dear Friends,

Good Morning!

EID MUBAARAK!

It's festival mood everywhere.Eid is celebrated today and Ganesh Chaturthi,tomorrow, on Staurday.The celebrations for both the  festivals have already started  since daysMail box is getting filled with greetings.:)Last year too I had written a post on this wonderful festival.I join my dear friends who celebrate this beautiful festival of Eid-ul-Fitr and so thought of writing another post today.
Eid -ul -Fitr is a joyous occasion.My Muslim friends are in high spirits.It celebrates kindness and discipline and strives to establish peace in this confused life.
105 millions of Muslims make India the second most populace Islamic Nation in the world.Eid is derived from the word,'oud' or 'the return' to signify the return of Eid each year.'Fitr'' means a donation.It is given away to the poor and the needy during Ramzan.Fitr is a must for every Muslim and each member of the household must contribute.Fitr is distributed so that even the poor can celebrate this festival with others.So beautiful!What a kind gesture!

This festival is very important for its religious implications.It is celebrated after the fasting month of Ramzan [the ninth month of Muslim year],on the first day of the Shavval month of the Muslim Year.It is believed that the Koran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed in the month of Ramzan.

I appreciate and admire my Muslim friends;right from small children to adults,they strictly follow fasting.'Ramz'' means to burn and fasting is considered to burn down one's sins.Fasting or Roza starts at sunrise and lasts until sunrise.During this time no food not even water is consumed.[I can never think of this].The principle behind Roza is to understand the plight of the poor and pledge to live  a more and significant life .

The enchanting crescent moon is seen on the 29th or 30th day of Ramzan,followed by the day everyone is waiting for -Eid.

I have many Muslim friends who are in the joyous mood and in high spirits who celeberate Eid -ul-Fitr.

Eid is the end of the holy month of fasting of Ramadan.It is the festival of purification after completing fasting month.Eid-ul-Fitr salat is offered in an open places like,open grounds,squares or fields  called Idgah.Public Eid prayers are held and everyone participates.It is customary to walk to the Idgah for this holy service.It is so impressive and a noble event.Multitudes raise their hands to the Heaven in a ceremony of unparalled organisation,discipline and equality.The spectacle of millions of people bowing befo God filled with symmetrical grace,majesty and a soul stirring feeling and it is so touching.The salat is performed  with Jammat with extra Takbirs,three of them in the beginning of the first rakaah and three of them just before ruku in the second rakaah.The Eid prayer is followed by the sermon[khutbah]and then a supplication [dua]asking for forgiveness ,mercy and help for all living beings across the  world.What a beautiful message this festival offers!
It is then customoray to embrace the persons sitting on either sides while greeting them,''EID MUBAARAK!''After prayers people visit their friends and relatives and share the happiness.
Eidi or gifts are often given;it is common to give small amount of money to the children by the adults.Children salam parents and elders.

Here Muslim devotees have their namaz in the huge ground near my house.I can watch them doing the rituals standing in the balcony at the backside.The congregational method of praying,according to the Prophet is sought because the harmonious beauty of life comes only through intermingling and greeting each other by embracing and utterin,''Eid Mubaarak''.

On the eve of Eid,the entire enviorns keep awake with children shouting loudly,''Eid ka chand ho gaya hai''.

Today Muslims wake up early in the morning ,offer Salatul Fajr,getting cleaned,putting on new clothes and apply perfume.I love the  smell of Athar.It is forbidden to fast on Eid.So our Muslims have dates before attending the special Eid prayer.It is a very good practice of perfornming charity-Zakat is given to the poor and needy.

This is also known as the  smaleer Eid[perunnal] as compared to the Eid -Al- Adha that lasts four days following the Hajj and is referred to as the greater Eid.Muslims are commanded to complete their fast on the last day of Ramdaan and recite the TAKBIR all throught the period of Eid.

Markets are livelier now.People buy new clothes and sweets.Women get attractive to bangle stalls and jewellery shops.Dry fruits,spices and fruits are purchased to prepare mouth watering dishes.Here,our Musilm neighbours used to bring delcious biriyani on this day.We used to enjoy the special biriyani and teh sweet dish,Sewayya[vermicelli cooked in milk and sugar].I always enjoy the dryfruits,sweetmeats and biriyani.The meal is really grand.Now they have shifted to their new house.

      All The Best Wishes To Muslim Friends across the world and I join you in your celebrations.Happy Eid!

      My dearest friend,I remember you today,

       I appreciate your sincere friendship,

        Even though you have decided to be silent.

        You the first one who dedicated a post to me,

         And that was a real visual treat!:)

            I keep it close to my heart as a treasure for ever.

Hope you have read the Malayalam post dedicated to you![A small gift for this small perunnal].

ALLAH!I have not observed fasting  of Ramdaan.Still I request you,God,please burn my sins.Forgive those who have hurt my feelings.Let me live peacefully.Eid has become an occasion of interfaith harmony as well as a day to mellow away the enemity and feelings of heart burn.Eid has also become a symbol of communal concord as on this day many Eid-Milans are conducted by people from all walks of life.

Insha Allah!

Your festival is my festival.:)

  EID MUBAARAK!

 It's Anu signing off..........

 Each festival makes me relive my life,

Memories become so fresh and lively,

Hope and happiness spread,

Anu loves you dil se,

Thnaking you for your greetings,

           Wishing once again EID MUBAARAK,

    Enjoy and celebrate this wonderful festival,

                                                   Sasneham,

                                                              Anu