Members
of the family gather during the day to share a meal. The spirit of solidarity
in Islam is also manifested in moments of joy, to enable the less fortunate to
celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with grace and
dignity. Islam has prescribed the Zakaat-ul-Fitr,
commonly known as Fitra, a fixed due
(equivalent to 1.6Kg worth of wheat) incumbent on every head of family who can
afford it; the head of the family is responsible to pay this due for every
member of the family. Although one is allowed to effect this payment prior to
the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer, it is
customary and commendable that it be effected days before so that the recipient
may have sufficient time to provide himself with his own and his family’s needs
for Eid. The Almighty in His divine wisdom has thus made provision for everyone
to be entitled to a decent celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Therefore,
those who are afflicted with poverty, ignorance, disease and other misfortunes
are not to be forgotten on this day. If each Muslim believer meditates on the
true spirit of Eid, then he will feel connected to his other brethrens, feeling
their pains and sufferings, feeling that he has to do something for them,
anything which can alleviate their troubles and pains. One clear example is the
martyrdom which the Muslim brothers, sisters and children of Palestine are
experiencing on a daily basis and that too in the blessed month of Ramadan.
With the very increasing death toll, there is the increasing possibility that
those who witnessed the beginning of Ramadan have not witnessed its end and
died in a state of fear, hunger and pain.
The
spirit of Eid-ul-Fitr forces us to
stop for some time, to meditate on what is really essential to our physical,
moral and spiritual needs, of our bond with the others of the same faith as us,
of doing something for them which shall see to their sense of achievement in
the hereafter. In these troubled times, all we have is prayer to our Creator,
the Lord of mankind, of all the Worlds, who has all power whereas we feeble
humans are powerless. But prayer is the key to open the doors of salvation,
divine mercy and blessings for those whom we cherish with all our hearts but
cannot help in some material, worldly way.
With
these words, I wish an Eid Mubarak
to all my Muslim brothers, sisters and children around the World. May Allah
remove your every difficulty and enable you to accomplish your sincere devout
desires in His path as true Muslims dedicated to please Him. My thoughts go
also to those who are suffering and cannot partake of the joy of Eid-ul-Fitr. May Allah enable a change
in their present state and transform their lives for the best. Ameen.
Hazrat Imam
Muhyi-ud-Din Munir A. Azim
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al
Islam