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Based
upon sighting of the moon, Muslims all over the world will celebrate Eid on
Thursday or Friday this week.
Eid
which literally means "Joy" is the culmination of a month of fasting
for Muslims. It certainly
represents a day of joy for those who have faithfully kept up prayer, fasting
and piety during the month of Ramadan.
Ramadan
has been very gratifying for many of us, making us acutely aware of our
blessings. There are so many little
things that we take for granted in our daily lives. My nine year old son who kept his first fast this Ramadan,
said "I never knew how good water tasted until I did not have it for one
whole day".
This
year Ramadan came at a time when the world is in constant turmoil. Killing has become rampant leaving behind a trail of hungry, homeless
human beings. Ramadan has made us
very conscious of the needs of the homeless and starving. We tend to live in lap of luxury with an over abundance of amenities that
we take for granted. When we are forced to do without these for a period of
time, we appreciate them all the more.
Muslims
are encouraged to pay their charitable dues (zakat which is one of the five
pillars of Islam) during the month of Ramadan. In this way those who are in need and less fortunate than us, can benefit
and participate in the joys and blessings of Eid.
On
Eid day, the first order of
business is to pay "fitra". This
is fixed sum that every Muslim has to pay and goes towards feeding and clothing
the poor who cannot afford new clothes or food for Eid. The amount of the
'fitra' is equivalent to approximately three kilograms
of wheat or whatever the staple food of that region may be. The 'fitra' is
usually paid at the mosque where Muslims gather for a special Eid prayer.
A
special congregational Eid prayer is held early in the morning of Eid day.
This prayer has to be performed before noon so very often mosques in
Canada hold two or three sessions of the Eid prayer. If Eid falls on a weekday,
mosques will have a congregation at 7 a.m. to accommodate those who cannot take
time off work. However, most Muslims take the day off work and children take
a holiday
from school.
After
the Eid prayer, a special speech or "khutba" is recited by the Imam of
the mosque asking Allah for thanks and remembering those less fortunate than us. Once Eid prayers are over, Eid festivities begin in full
fervour.
Muslims
usually wear new and colourful clothes on Eid day. At the mosque there are refreshments after the prayer.
People greet each other and visit each other at home. Gifts are exchanged but the typical Eid gift is given in cash.
Younger members of the family are expected to pay their respects to the
elders and many people visit the cemetery to pray for the soul of near and dear
departed
family members.
Some
special sweets are made on Eid day. For
Muslims of the sub-continent Eid begins with "sewian" or vermicelli
cooked in milk, sweetened with sugar and decorated with pure silver paper,
pistachios and almonds. Eid usually
ends up being a day of gastronomical adventure. It is of special significance to those children who have kept
their first fast in Ramadhan. For
them, there is are special presents and good wishes.
My
son was asked in school if Eid is like Christmas for Muslims. I told him yes, and more. Eid is like Christmas and Thanksgiving all
rolled into one. We give a prayer of thanks for being together in Canada where
we are free to practice our faith and celebrate together, away from violence and
war.
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