THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EID
-
Unas (ra) reported that when the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the people of Madinah used to have two
festivals. On those two days they had carnivals and festivity. The Prophet
Muhammad (saw) asked the Ansaar (the Muslims of Madinah) about it. They
replied that before Islam they used to have carnivals on those two joyous
days. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) told them: 'Instead of those
two days, Allah has appointed two other days which are better, the days
of Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.' (Hadith)
EID-AL-FITR is celebrated
on the first day of Shaw'waal, at the completion of Ramadan. Shaw'waal
is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous
day; it is a true Thanksgiving Day for the believing men and women. On
this day Muslims show their real joy for the health, strength and the opportunities
of life, which Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting
and other good deeds during the blessed month ofRamadan.
EID-AL-ADHA is celebrated
on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the 12th and the last month of the Islamic
calendar. It is also very joyous day; it is a feast of self-sacrifice,
commitment and obedience to Allah. It commemorates the great act of obedience
to Allah by the Prophet Ibrahim (as) in showing his willingness to sacrifice
his son Ismael (as). Allah accepted his sacrifice and replaced Prophet
Ismael (as) with a lamb. Although Hajj has no relation with the Eid-al-Adha,
but the five days long rituals of Hajj are also done
during this month culminating on 9th of Zdilhijjah. Many
rituals of Hajj are enactment of the struggle of the family Ibrahim (as)
specially his second wife Hajirah (as) and her son Prophet Ismael (as).
THE SUNNAH OF EID:
1. Wake up early.
2. Offer Salatul Fajr.
3.Prepare for personal cleanliness 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.
7. Use perfume (men only).
8. Have breakfast on Eid-al-Fitr before leaving for prayer ground. On Eid-al-Adha,
eat
breakfast after Salaat or after sacrifice
if you are doing a sacrifice.
9. Pay Zakaat-al-Fitr before Salaat-al-Eid (on Eid-al-Fitr).
10. Go to prayer ground early.
11. Offer Salaat-al-Eid in congregation in an open place except when whether
is not
permitting like
rain, snow, etc.
12. Use two separate routes to and from the prayer ground.
13. Recite the following Takbir on the way to Salaat and until the beginning
of
Salaat-al-Eid. On Eid-al-Adha,
Takbir starts from Mughrib on the 9th Zdilhijjah and
last until the Asr
on the 12th Zdilhijjah: Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. La ila-ha
ill-lal-lah.
Allaho-Akber, Allaho-Akber. Wa-lilahill hamd. (Allah is greater.
Allah is
greater. There is
no god but Allah. Allah is greater. Allah is greater. And all praises
are for Allah).
HOW TO OFFER SALAAT-AL-EID:
Ibn Abbass (ra) reported: 'I participated in the Salaat-al-Eid-al-Fitr
with the Messenger of Allah (saw), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Uthman
(ra), and all of them held Salaat-al-Eid before Khutbah, and then the Prophet
Muhammad (saw) delivered the Khutbah (sermon)'. Hadith, Muslim
WHO SHOULD GO TO THE PRYER GROUND AND OFFER SALAAT-AL-EID:
Umm Atiyah (ra) reported: 'The Messenger of
Allah (saw) commanded us to bring out on Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, young
women, hijab-observing adult women and the
menstruating women. The menstruating women stayed
out of actual Salaat but
participated in good deeds and Duaa (supplication)'.
I (Umm Atiyah) said to the Holy Prophet (saw): 'O! Messenger of Allah,
one does not have an outer garment.'
He replied: "Let her sister cover her with her garment." Hadith
Muslim.
On the Eid day, every believing man, woman and child must go to the prayer
ground and participate in this joyous occasion.
STRUCTURE OF SALAAT-AL-EID:
Salaat-al-Eid is wajib (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory).
It consists of two Rakaat (units) with six or thirteen additional Takbirs.
It must be offered in congregation. The Salaat is followed by the
Khutbah. The Khutbah is part of the worship and listening to it is
Sunnah. During the Khutbah, the Imam must remind the community about
its responsibilities and obligations towards Allah, fellow Muslims and
the fellow human beings. The Imam must encourage the Muslims to do
good and ward off evil. The Muslim community must also be directed to the
state of the community and the Ummah at large and the feelings of sacrifice
and Jihaad should be aroused in the community.
At the conclusion of the Salaat the Muslims should convey
greetings to each other, give reasonable gifts to the youngsters and visit
each other at their homes. Muslims should also take this opportunity
to invite their non-Muslims neighbors, co-workers, classmates and business
acquaintances to Eid festivities to expose them to Islam and Muslim culture.
SACRIFICE AND EID-AL-ADHA:
Those who have enough wealth to pay Zakaat must offer the sacrifice
for Allah. It is the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim (as) and a strongly recommended
Sunnah. A lamb, sheep, goat , cow, buffalo, or camel can be offered as
the sacrifice. There are seven shares in a cow, buffalo and camel. The
sacrifice should be accomplished by slaughtering the animal after Salaat-al-Eid.
The sacrifice also called Udhiyah or Qurbani last for three
days from 10th Zdilhijjah until the sunset of 12th Zdilhijjah.
The meat should be divided into three shares: one for the family the second
for relatives and friend and the third share is for the poor and the needy.
(Written & copyright by Imam Ali Siddiqui, 1982)
You can find additional information from web sites
including Islamicity and
books of Hadith including Bukhari, Muslim, Riadus-Salahin,
and Mishkat-al-
Masabih. (Imam Ali Siddiqui)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
(Imam) Ali Siddiqui with 25 years of service, is a Friday
Khatib, Islamic teacher, Muslim Chaplain, organizer, worker, youth advisor,
family/marriage Counselor, curriculum advisor, poet and writer with a vision
who has been involved in the teaching Islam, comparative religion,
history, contemporary
issues to Muslims and non-Muslims and the community service
including spiritual/educational development, service to the sick and the
incarcerated. He has been on speaking tours to Great Britain, Canada,
Germany, Switzerland, Iran, Pakistan and across the USA. He frequently
presents Islamic Prospective and Muslim Point of View on current affairs
to Non-Muslims and Muslims. He has been very active in organizing seminars,
workshops, conferences and teach-ins to promote Islamic awareness and inter-faith
understanding. He has received many commendations for his work, service
and scholarship including the title of Imam in 1994 and Community Leadership
Award in 1997.
PRESENT INVOLVEMENT
Congregation Leader (Friday Khatib), Masjid
al-Shareef, Long Beach, CA,
1995-Present
Muslim Chaplain, Pomona Valley Community Hospital,
Pomona, CA, 1997-Present
Contributing Imam, Ask the Imam, www.islamicity.org
Guest Lecturer, World Religions - Dept. Of
Sociology - Cal Poly University,
Pomona, CA, USA, 1994-Present
Guest Lecturer, World Religions - Riverside
Community College, Moreno Valley,
CA, USA, 1997-Present
Muslim Representative, Religious Advisory
Board (Proposed) - Chino Unified
School District, Chino, CA, USA, 1996
Program Coordinator/Islamic Teacher, Muslim
Family Program, Southern
California, USA, 1993-Present
Youth Advisor/Islamic Teacher, Muslim Youth
Program - Inland Empire, CA, USA,
1996-Present
Director, Peace with Justice Center of Pomona
Valley, La Verne, CA, USA,
1995-1997
Director, American Society for Education & Religion,
USA, 1977-Present
Member, International Shu'raa' - Jamaat
al-Muslimeen International, 1995-1996
Islamic Teacher, Qur'anic Arabic, Deeniyat,
Comparative Religion, History,
Contemporary Issues, 1974-Present
Friday Khatib (Congregation Leader), 1972-Present
Volunteer Chaplain, California, 1990-Present
Ameer, Jamaat al-Muslimeen of California
|