Q.1 - Who is your God? (the Lord,the Creator or etc)
My God is Allah Who has created me and all that exist
Q.2 - What is your religion?
My religion is Islam, which is submission and obedience to the Order oF Allah
and His Messenger with love, hope and fear.
Q.3 - How did you know Allah?
I know Him by His signs and creation like the day and night; the sun and the
moon; the heaven and the hell, and all that is there in and between them and from the holy book of Qur'an
Q.4 - Where is Allah?
Allah is above the heavens raised over the Throne ('arsy) and separated from His creatures.
Q.5 - Is Allah with us (in person)?
Allah is settled over His Mighty Throne, but He is with us by His Knowledge,
hearing ,seeing and other attributes. As He said: "Fear not verily! I am with you both hearing and seeing (sora Toha. :46)
Q.6 - How do you worship Allah?
I worship Allah in a manner in which all my ibadah is dedicated to Him Alone. I do not ascribe anyone with Him in worship.
Q.7 - Why did Allah send Messengers?
Allah has sent Messengers so that they call the people to worship Him Alone,
not ascribing any partner with Him, and in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah.
Q.8 - What is the meaning of Islam?
Islam means i.e. submission to Allah with Tawhid .
Q.9 - What are the pillars of Islam?
1. Testimony of Faith (There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah )
2. To establish Salat (prayers).
3. To pay Zakat.
4. To observe Saum (fasting) in Ramadan.
5. Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House) if one can afford the journey.
Q.10 - What is Iman?
Iman (Faith) means to believe in the heart, to admit by the tongue and to act
with the parts of the body.
Q.11 - Can there be any variation in Iman?
By some words and deeds it may increase and by some words and deeds it
may decrease.
Q.12 - What are the pillars of Iman (Faith)?
The pillars of Iman are six i.e. to believe in:
1. Allah.
2. His Angels.
3. His Messengers.
4. His Books.
5. The Last Day.
6. Divine Preordains good or bad.
Q.13 - What is Belief in Allah?
The Belief in Allah is that you should believe that Allah is the Sole Creator
Sustainer Provider and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs.
Everything stands in need of Him, but He stands in need of none. He is the Only One Who is worthy of being worshiped. He has the Best Names and Perfect
Attributes.
Q.14 - Who are the angels?
The angels are creatures of light. They are Allah's obedient slaves, they do
that which they are commanded and are incapable of disobedience.
Q.15 - What do you mean by Belief in the Book and the Messengers?
It means that Allah sent the Messengers like Moses, Jesus,Abraham. Noah
etc. and sent down the books like the Torah, Injeel, Zaboor (Psalms) etc. to call the people to worship Allah Alone, associating nothing with Him. He sealed
(finalized) the Messengers with Prophet Muhammed and abrogated all
previous books with the Qur'an. Therefore the worship should be done according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet .
Q.I6 - What is meant by Belief in the Last Day?
The Belief in the Last Day means to believe that Allah has ordained a fixed
term for everything, and a term for this world. He will assuredly raise the dead from their graves and will account for everyone their deeds in this world. On that Day of Resurrection, rewards and punishments will be assigned. Every one will be justly rewarded or punished.
Q.17 - What is meant by Belief Preordains (Qadar)?
The Belief in Preordains (Qadar) means to believe that everything — good
or bad — happens or takes place according to what Allah has ordained for it. He has created everything in due proportion.
Q.18 - What is the cleaning of "There is no God but Allah"?
It means there is no true deity except Allah Alone, Negating all false gods and
affirming that Allah is the only true God.
Q.19 - What is the meaning of "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"?
It means total submission to him in whatever he ordered, and avoiding what
he forbade and believing in all those matters he informed us about.
Showing posts with label English Article. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English Article. Show all posts
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Some people think that religion restricts individual freedom and disallows the fulfillment of some desires, whereas, in fact, the aim of religious teaching is not at all to put an end to logical freedom. Its aim is only to stop wastage of human energies and assets and to prevent their flow into improper and worthless channels.
For example, if religion forbids the use of intoxicants, gambling and improper indulgence in sex, does so for the safety of the body and soul of the individual and for the maintenance of social order.
This moral control is in keeping with the real spirit of freedom, for freedom means only that man should be able to take full advantage of the assets of existence to help in the evolution of the individual and the society. It does not at all mean squandering God-given energies and indulging in immoderation and libertinism.
Religion supports every kind of freedom that carries man forward towards evolution in various fields. Only this, is what freedom, in the real sense, means. Anything else is libertarianism.
That is why religion allows man to use all good things in life, to wear any reasonable dress, to relish any good food and to take part in any healthy pastime. In short, it has allowed the use of all comforts and conveniences of life, and does not ask anyone to give up any such things.
The Holy Quran says: "Say: Who has forbidden the beautiful things of God which He has produced for His servants and the pure food ?"
Moreover, our religion calls upon us never to forget the exigencies and requirements of time and to keep ourselves well-informed about the latest developments in medicine, technology and industry.
The leader of Islam, Imam Sadiq (A) has said: "He who knows his time and its requirements, shall not be taken unaware by the dark events of life."
Our religion tells us that out of the new ideas, customs and usages we should choose what is useful and worthy and should discard what is improper and wrong.
We must not follow others blindly and must not adopt anything that is not compatible with human dignity and the spirit of independent thinking.
The Holy Quran says, "Give glad tidings to my servants who listen to what is said and follow the best thereof. They are those whom Allah has guided and those who have good sense."
References
The following sources are used to prepare the above article.
1. Group of Scholars, Rationality of Islam (1978), under the auspices of Ayatullah Sayyid Abu'l Qasim al-Khu'I, Publisher: Islamic Seminary Publications, Pakistan
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A government, social or business organization must need a group of competent and
experienced individuals to run its service and business functions. In absence of such executives and business leaders, the organization wouldn’t be able to survive.
These organizations will always be dependent upon competent and honest managers; otherwise, they will be liquidated in a short period. This is a clear fact that can be perceived by pondering a little. Our daily life experiences and social experiments also witness this important observation.
Guardianship in Islam
Surely, the organization of the religion of Islam, which could be called the world's largest organization, follows the same principle. It depends upon guardians and directors for its survival and continuity.
It always looks for competent individuals to provide the people with Islamic teachings and laws, to carry out its exact provisions in the Islamic society, and to allow no negligence and procrastination in the observance and safeguarding of Islam.
The guardianship of religious matters and of the Islamic society is called "Imamah". The guardian or leader of religion is known as the "Imam". The Holy Prophet (SA), Muhammad (pbuh) appointed the Imam Ali (AS) by the Will of Almighty Allah to act as a custodian and guardian of the sciences and commandments of Islam and to lead the people onto the right path.
A true investigation and a thorough sincere study on Islamic teachings will lead us to the conclusion that Imamah is one of the unquestionable principles of the holy religion of Islam and that the Almighty Allah stipulates this matter in Qur'anic verses while introducing the organization of His religion.
Error-prone Nature of Man
Error-prone nature of man’s intellect makes it impossible to establish a just system in society without the guidance provided by the prophets of God. Similarly, the existence of Islamic scholars and their religious propagation is not sufficient to make people independent of Imams.
The question is not whether people follow the religion or not, rather the point under discussion is that the religion of Allah must reach the people untouched and without any change, alteration, or mutilation.
Verily, the religious scholars are not infallible and not immune from error and sin regardless how virtuous and pious they are. It is not impossible that Islamic sciences and laws be ruined and changed by them, irrespective of deliberately or unintentionally. The best evidence for this matter is the existence of various sects and discrepancies which have crept into Islam.
Therefore, in any case, the existence of the Imam is necessary to safeguard the real Islamic sciences and laws of the religion of Allah, so that people could benefit from his guidance whenever they find the ability to receive it.
Imam, guidance and human perfection
The kindness, love and care of the Creator of this universe necessitates for guiding every creature towards a specific goal. For instance, a fruit- bearing tree is led towards development, blossom, and bearing fruit. Its course of life differs from that of a bird. Similarly, every bird lives in its own special way and pursues its own specific goal.
In this manner, every creature is led only towards reaching its specified goal and pursuing the right path and nothing else. Obviously, man is also one of the creatures of Allah and is bound by the same principle of guidance.
Since the ideal perfection and prosperity of man is gained through his own choice and free will, the Divine guidance of man, in particular, should be achieved by way of invitation, propagation, and communication of religion and its rules and regulations through the prophets, so that men could not have any excuse against this system of the Almighty Allah.
"(We sent) messengers as the givers of good news and as warners, so that people should not have a plea against Allah after the (coming of) messengers…"(Quran, 4:165).
This holy statement leads to the same logic that necessitated the appointment of prophets and the establishment of the system of religious invitation.
After the demise of the Holy Prophet (SA), who guarded the religion and led the people with his purity, it is necessary for the Almighty Allah to assign someone similar to him in purity and ideal attributes (except Revelation and Prophethood) as a substitute to preserve the Islamic sciences and commandments without any deviation and lead the people.
Otherwise, the program of general guidance will be disrupted and people would have an excuse against the system of guidance of Allah.
References
The following sources are used to prepare the above article.
1. Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'I, Islamic Techings in Brief, Ansariyan Publication
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Islam prescribes very high qualification for a divine leader. He should be the most knowledgeable, the wisest, and the most gallant of all. He should also be immune from every kind of sin, mistake and error.
The Prophet and the Imams, besides being religious leaders, are in their capacity as leaders of society, responsible for all government functions, and as such should possess the requisite qualifications to shoulder that responsibility.
The Prophet is the founder of religion and Imam is its protector. Both of them are appointed by Allah. The Prophet alone receives revelation whereas Imam is heir to all the prophetic knowledge. He does not receive revelation, but he is master of all the details of Prophet's religious system.
Both the Prophet and the Imam have a special constructive role, and do not spare any opportunity to sacrifice in the interest of the Muslim society. The role played by Imam Husain (A) in fighting the hypocrites and toppling the machine of tyranny is a great example of such a sacrifice.
In addition, prominent roles played by Imam Baqir (A) and Imam Sadiq (A) in spreading Islamic knowledge and other sciences, and by Imam Ali Reza (A) in defending Islamic tenets and in providing intellectual guidance against the invasion of foreign ideas are undeniable.
The same is true of the role played by other Imams in their respective circumstances. Thus besides performing the functions which were common to all of them as religious heads, each of these leaders had a special mission in conformity with the special circumstances of his age and time and he did not refrain from making any sacrifice in carrying it out.
It has already been proved that an Imam must be nominated by Allah and his Prophet for none else can know who is infallible. As such it is the bounden duty of the Prophet to introduce his successor to the people. Should he not do so, he would fail in his prophetic mission. That is why we believe that the Holy Prophet did nominate his successor and Imam of the Muslims.
With the advent of the Prophet of Islam and the express declaration by the Qur'an that he was the last Prophet, the age of Prophethood came to an end. Now no new religion can be revealed. Islam is the last Divine religion.
Beside the role of a Prophet, still there are certain needs of the Muslim society which should be met, such as:
- All the functions of a ruler and a government, including the settlement of legal disputes and maintenance of law and order.
- Propagation of Islam and the expansion of the sphere of its social and governmental influence.
- Exposition of the Qur'an and the religious law.
- Constructive education of the people, in the sense that the imam being a model of all virtues and being free from all sins and faults sets a practical example and a standard of virtuous life. People can, without any hesitation, acknowledge him to be their leader and attain salvation under his guidance.
To be a true religious leader, it is necessary that all these functions are combined in the person of an imam designated by the holy Prophet.
Nonetheless, the governmental functions, dispensing justice, and taking action to expand Islam through propagation and continuous defensive struggle are possible only when the reins of government are actually in the hands of an Imam.
Else when he does not have a free hand and he is not in power, he cannot practically perform these functions albeit he possesses all the necessary qualifications and capabilities to do so.
As for the last two functions, they imply complete knowledge of Islam and moral leadership of the highest caliber. This is a position which can neither be assigned nor withdrawn by anybody. It is not subject to voting or the issuance of an order.
An imam has full knowledge of the Divine commandments and Islamic standards. He possesses all the virtues and is the mirror of Islam. His knowledge and worth are an undeniable fact and a Divine gift. They are not conferred on him by any human being.
To comprehend the salient functions and roles played by an Imam, we summarize below a portion of the lengthy sermon of Imam al-Riza (P) from Usul al-Kafi, volume one.
- Imamate is religious leadership. It entails the management of the affairs of the Muslim society and improving and exalting the position of the Muslims.
- An Imam protects the Divine bounds; defends the Divine religion and invites the people to Allah by means of logic, argument and good advice.
- An Imam is a trustee of the people appointed by Allah.
- He is His sign and His vicegerent on the earth.
- He is immune against all sins and free from all defects.
- He is peerless in his time. None can attain his position.
- No scholar can equal him.
- All virtues are manifested in him.
- He has many kinds of knowledge which cannot be polluted by ignorance.
- He is an indefatigable guardian of the Islamic nation.
- He is the source of purity, piety, knowledge and devotion.
- He is truly fit to be a leader. He knows the intricacies of politics.
- He is infallible; enjoys Divine support and is free from every fault and slip.
- Allah has given him such a position that he is His sign to the people and a model of virtue and excellence.
In short just as the Prophet of Islam was elevated to the rank of Prophethood on account of his superior qualities, his successor also should at least be the second to Prophet.
References
The following sources are used to prepare the above article.
1. Group of Scholars, Rationality of Islam (1978), under the auspice of Ayatullah Sayyid Abu'l Qasim al-Khu'I, Publisher: Islamic Seminary Publications, Pakistan.
2. Dr. M. H. Behishti, Dr. M. J. Bahonar, Philosophy of Islam, Islamic Seminary Publications (1984)
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The Most Dangerous Harm
In the history of mankind, we learn of people who were famous in their society for always telling the truth and acting honestly. Then a time reached when they claimed that they were messengers of God, and they persistently invited people to have faith in One God and to act in a certain way.
In the history of mankind, we learn of people who were famous in their society for always telling the truth and acting honestly. Then a time reached when they claimed that they were messengers of God, and they persistently invited people to have faith in One God and to act in a certain way.
As a result of their efforts and the persistent hardships faced by these special people in different areas of the world, many groups had faith in them. Thus the efforts of Moses caused the inception of Jewish religion, the birth of Jesus became the beginning of the Christian calendar and the migration of the Prophet Muhammad started the Muslim calendar.
Now, we see that how these messengers attracted human beings to religion and to follow particular rules, caused them to fear punishment for their bad deeds and made them sure that they would be tried in the Great Court of Justice before the Righteous and Wise Judge, the Almighty God.
They trembled at the imagination of hardships and dangers of the Resurrection and the severity of the punishment in the Day of Judgment, and made humans fearful of these things.
Do the warnings of such noble, truth telling and honest group of people make us realize the possibility of harm and danger as we found in the warning of the small child, warning of a possible robbery or reception of a bomb threat?
Is it right that we should ignore the words and deeds of such truthful, honest and righteous people of this world, when we see that they spared no efforts and sacrifices, to deliver a true message of the Almighty about how we should spend our lives here and what is coming after death?
Clearly, the words of the messengers, if they do not convince someone, at least provoke us to think: that perhaps what they say is true. Then what in fact is our duty, if it is correct that these Messengers of God tell the truth? What answer will then we give in the Court of Justice of God?
Here reason reckons the necessity of preventing this possible harm, and urges us to at least search and find a true way of life, a true religion.
What is more, these messengers invite us to a healthy and civilized life, and they also say that after death an extensive new world and everlasting blessings await one who has performed his duty, and give happy news that in that place is another existence overflowing with peace of mind and certainty of spirit, where there is no disease, distress, agitation, anguish or fear. Does reason allow us to ignore this important message?
Must we not give weight to the fears and threats of such messengers, who say that sins and transgression have their penalty and good deeds and noble tasks have their everlasting rewards? Should we not follow a true religion and reflect on the call of true, honest and noble people?
Further benefits of adopting a true religion include:
- A true religion directs us towards everlasting happiness and prosperity
- Religious tenets affect the hearts of peoples and always accompany him. They keep man away from moral wickedness and force him to be virtuous
- Without religion, there would be no prosperity and bliss
A person practicing a true religion is the most happiest and prosperous because he:
- Has a true objective in his life
- Possesses a good and praiseworthy character
- Performs good deeds
- Has a confident, strong, and peaceful heart in this turbulent world
- Does not live in misdeed and deviance
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References
The following sources are used to prepare the above article. Some hyperlinks may not be still active.
1. The Roots of Religion (1982), Dar Rah-e Haq Publisher
2. Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'I, Islamic Techings in Brief, Ansariyan Publication
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Acquire knowledge, because one who gains it for the sake of Lord, performs an act of piety; who talks about it praises the Lord; who seeks it, adores God; who spends life in light of it, bestows alms; and who passes on it to others, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge helps to distinguish what is forbidden from what is not; lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our companion in solitude, when bereft of friends; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is our beauty and grace in the company of friends; it serves as an armor against our enemies. With knowledge, the creation of God rises to the heights of goodness and nobility, controls the affairs of this world and attains the perfection in happiness hereafter.
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The Prophet Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wassalam said:
“Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah at the risk of displeasing the people, Allah will take care of him and protect him from them. But whoever seeks the pleasure of the people at the risk of displeasing Allah, Allah will abandon him to the care of the people.”
(Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim)
Ya Robby, don't abandon us to Your creatures.. Please don't leave us to the people.. We will try our best to please You. Eventhough we'd fell and slipped many times, but we will not give up to seek for Your forgiveness and pleasure. Because we know that Your pleasure is our ultimate aim for our success in dunya and akhirah.
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Hadith ; The say, action and admission of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Dho'if ; a weakness.
Hadith Dho'if ; weakness in a hadith's source.
This weakness in hadith's source may happen if the narrator of such hadith isn't fulfil a conditions or requirement to narrate the proved hadith (hadith sohih).
There are 2 conditions regulating to practice this kind of hadith (hukm) ; it shall not related to the conviction ('aqidah) and it shall not used to clarify the Syariah regulations (hukm Syar'e) that is concerning the permissible and illicit in islamic law (halal & haram). furthermore, we should always be aware about the way if we want to narrate this hadith (hadith dho'if), that we shall not narrate this hadith without mentioning the source of this hadith.
but there are some scholars of opinion, on the one hand, this kind of hadith cannot be practiced at all but on the other hand, this hadith is allowed to be practiced relating to the regulations (hukm), benefits (fadhail) besides the conviction ('aqidah) other said it may be practiced relating to the benefits (fadhail) besides conviction ('aqidah) and regulations (hukm).
- we shall not say : "the prophet Muhammad PBUH said........"
- instead : "narrated by "one" : the prophet said........ hadith dhoif"
Dho'if ; a weakness.
Hadith Dho'if ; weakness in a hadith's source.
This weakness in hadith's source may happen if the narrator of such hadith isn't fulfil a conditions or requirement to narrate the proved hadith (hadith sohih).
There are 2 conditions regulating to practice this kind of hadith (hukm) ; it shall not related to the conviction ('aqidah) and it shall not used to clarify the Syariah regulations (hukm Syar'e) that is concerning the permissible and illicit in islamic law (halal & haram). furthermore, we should always be aware about the way if we want to narrate this hadith (hadith dho'if), that we shall not narrate this hadith without mentioning the source of this hadith.
but there are some scholars of opinion, on the one hand, this kind of hadith cannot be practiced at all but on the other hand, this hadith is allowed to be practiced relating to the regulations (hukm), benefits (fadhail) besides the conviction ('aqidah) other said it may be practiced relating to the benefits (fadhail) besides conviction ('aqidah) and regulations (hukm).
- we shall not say : "the prophet Muhammad PBUH said........"
- instead : "narrated by "one" : the prophet said........ hadith dhoif"
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A muslim - holds strongly to Islamic principles, but yet is adaptable to change when applying them in response to contemporary issues and challenges.
A muslim - is morally and spiritually strengthened to face the challenges of modern society, especially the changing economy.
A muslim - knows about islamic history and civilization, and is intellectually equipped to understand Islam and contemporary issues of Islamic world.
A muslim - is well adjusted to living in a secular state and multi-religious society, and contributes to global humanity, including taking leadership roles.
A muslim - is progressive, keeps up with the demands of modern society and practices Islam beyond rituals of form.
A muslim - appreciates the richness of other civilizations, and is self -confident enough to interact with others and is prepared to learn from them.
A muslim - is inclusive and practices pluralism where this does not go against Islamic princilples.
A muslim - is morally and spiritually strengthened to face the challenges of modern society, especially the changing economy.
A muslim - knows about islamic history and civilization, and is intellectually equipped to understand Islam and contemporary issues of Islamic world.
A muslim - is well adjusted to living in a secular state and multi-religious society, and contributes to global humanity, including taking leadership roles.
A muslim - is progressive, keeps up with the demands of modern society and practices Islam beyond rituals of form.
A muslim - appreciates the richness of other civilizations, and is self -confident enough to interact with others and is prepared to learn from them.
A muslim - is inclusive and practices pluralism where this does not go against Islamic princilples.
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Those kinds of people who will be in a protection of Allah on the day of judgment ;
Yesterday is a history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. make the history meaningful, prepare for the mystery and value the gift.
- A just leader.
- A young man who grew up in worshiping Allah.
- A man who his heart is always bound with a mosques.
- A man who was seduced by a beautiful woman and he said ; "i'm afraid of Allah".
- A man who always made a charity for the sake of Allah till his left hand didn't know what his right hand gave.
- A tears from a man because of remembering Allah.
Yesterday is a history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. make the history meaningful, prepare for the mystery and value the gift.
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When I say... I am a Muslim
When I say. . .I am a MuslimI'm not shouting " down with Christians and Jews."
I am whispering "I seek peace," and Islam is the path that I choose.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
I speak of this with pride.
And confess that sometimes I stumble, and need Allah to be my guide.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
I know this makes me strong.
And in those times when I am weak, I pray to Allah for strength to carry on.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
I'm not boasting of success.
I'm acknowledging that Allah has rescued me, and I cannot ever repay the debt.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are indeed visible, but Allah forgives because his followers are worth it.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
it does not mean I will never feel pain.
I still have my share of heartaches, which is why I invoke Allah's name.
When I say. . .I am a Muslim
I do not wish to judge.
I have no such authority. My duty is to submit to Allah's all-encompassing love.
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Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "to break the fast" (and can also mean "nature", from the word "fitrah"); and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.
Eid ul-Fitr is a three day celebration and is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" (Arabic: العيد الصغير al-‘īdu ṣ-ṣaghīr) as compared to the Eid ul-Adha that lasts four days and is called the "Greater Eid" (Arabic: العيد الكبير al-‘īdu l-kabīr).
Muslims are commanded by the Qur'an to complete their fast on the last day of Ramadan and then recite the Takbir all throughout the period of Eid[Qur'an 2:185 (Translated by Shakir)].
General rituals
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Common greetings during this holiday are the Arabic greeting ‘Īd mubārak ("Blessed Eid") or ‘Īd sa‘īd ("Happy Eid"). In addition, many countries have their own greetings based on local language and traditions.
Typically, Muslims wake up early in the morning and have a small breakfast (as a sign of not being on a fast on that day) of preferably the date fruit, before attending a special Eid prayer (salah) that is performed in congregation at mosques or open areas like fields, squares etc. Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothes (new if possible) to attend the Eid prayer. No adhan or iqama is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two raka'ahs. The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a supplication (dua') asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. The khutbah also instructs Muslims as to the performance of rituals of Eid, such as the zakat.[1] It is then customary to embrace the persons sitting on either side of oneself, whilst greeting them. After the prayers, people also visit their relatives, friends and acquaintances[2] and some people also pay visits to the graveyards (ziyarat al-qubur).[2] Eid ul-Fitr is not a day of rest, because there is no basis for rest in the Qu'ran.[3]
The Takbir and other Rituals
The Takbir is recited after having confirmation that the moon of Shawwal is sighted on the eve of the last day of Ramadan. It continues until the start of the Eid prayer. Before the Eid prayer begins, every Muslim who is able must pay Zakat al-fitr,[4] an alms for the month of Ramadan. This equates to about 2 kilograms (4.4 lb) of a basic foodstuff (wheat, barley, dates, raisins, etc.), or its cash equivalent, and is typically collected at the mosque. This is distributed to needy local Muslims prior to the start of the Eid prayer. It can be given at any time during the month of Ramadan and is often given early, so the recipient can use it for Eid purchases. This is distinct from Zakat based on wealth, which must be paid to a worthy charity. The Takbir consists of:
-
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر laa ilaaha illAllaah لا إله إلا الله Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar الله أكبر الله أكبر wa li-illaahil-hamd ولله الحمد
- God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest,
- There is no deity but God
- God is the Greatest, God is the Greatest
- and to God goes all praise
Islamic tradition
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting of Ramadan. This has to do with the communal aspects of the fast, which expresses many of the basic values of the Muslim community. Fasting is believed by some scholars to extol fundamental distinctions, lauding the power of the spiritual realm, while acknowledging the subordination of the physical realm.[2]
The Islamic tradition also associates events with the occasion. For example, on Eid al-Fitr, the angel Gabriel descended with white clothes for each of prophet Muhammad's grandsons.[5]
Practices by country
India
India celebrates it with open hearts. The most favourite places at this time is generally Jama Masjid in New Delhi. People can be spotted in thousands in numbers, with all excitement it needs to make this day. Eid is a public holiday and it is celebrated all over in India.
United Kingdom
There is a Khutbah (speech) in which the Imam gives advice to the Muslim community and usually Muslims are encouraged to end any past animosities they may have. He then goes on to the khutbah and then the prayer itself. When the local imam declares Eid ul-Fitr everyone greets and hugs each other. As Eid ul-Fitr is not a recognised public holiday in the United Kingdom, Muslims are obliged to attend the morning prayer. In a large ethnically Muslim area, normally schools and local businesses give exemptions to the Muslim community to take three days off. In the rest of the UK it is not recognised as it is not on a fixed date as it is decided by the sighting of the moon on the night before.
During the morning, men (mainly South Asian) usually wear Thobe, Jubba, Sharwani or Punjabi, and women usually wear shalwar kameez. Men head to the mosque for the Eid prayers, after which people greet each other. After this many will go to a local cemetery to pay respect and to remember the deceased. When they return home they will greet the family and friend and also other Muslims and visit relatives across the city. People cook traditional food for their relatives. Dishes such as Samosas, Simeya,Rice and Handesh are particularly popular.
North America
North American Muslims typically celebrate the day in a quiet way. Because the day depends on the sighting of the moon, often families are not aware that the next day will be Eid until the night before. Most check with members of the community to see if the moon has been sighted by anyone. Different methods for determining the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal are used in each particular community. Because the day is determined by the natural phenomenon of sighting the crescent moon, North Americans on the eastern coast of the continent may celebrate Eid on a different day than those on the western coast.
The end of Ramadan is announced via e-mail, postings on websites, or chain phone calls to all members of a Muslim community. Working persons usually attempt to make arrangements for a lighter work day on the days that may possibly be the Eid day, but many North American Muslims are often noted to not be able to take the entire day off.
North American Muslims usually wake early, have a small breakfast and attend mosques for the Eid prayers.
Since many North American Muslims are immigrants, traditions described below may be celebrated by immigrants of these countries in their respective homes in North America.
New York City's iconic Empire State Building was lit in green in honor of Eid-al-Fitr from October 12-14, 2007. [1]
Turkey
In the Republic of Turkey, where Ramadan celebrations are infused with more national traditions, and where country-wide celebrations, religious and secular alike, are altogether referred to as Bayram, it is customary for people to greet one another with "Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun" ("May Your Bayram Be Celebrated"), "Mutlu Bayramlar" ("Happy Bayram"), or the more religious "Bayramınız Mübarek Olsun" (May Your Bayram Be Holy", i.e. "Holy Bayram Upon You"), while enjoying a number of local customs.
Referred to as both Şeker Bayramı ("Bayram of Sweets") or Ramazan Bayramı ("Ramadan Bayram"), Eid in Turkey is a beloved public holiday, where schools and government offices are generally closed for the entire period of the celebrations.
It is a time for people to attend prayer services, put on their best clothes (referred to as "Bayramlık", often purchased just for the occasion) and to visit all their loved ones (such as friends, relatives and neighbors) and pay their respects to the deceased with organized visits to cemeteries, where large, temporary bazaars of flowers, water (for watering the plants adorning a grave), and prayer books are set up for the three-day occasion. The first day of the Bayram is generally regarded as the most important, with all members of the family waking up early, and the men going to their neighborhood mosque for the special Bayram prayer.
It is regarded as especially important to honor elderly citizens by kissing their right hand and placing it on one's forehead while wishing them Bayram greetings. It is also customary for young children to go around their neighborhood, door to door, and wish everyone a happy Bayram, for which they are awarded candy, chocolates, traditional sweets such as Baklava and Turkish Delight, or a small amount of money at every door, in an almost Halloween-like fashion.
Municipalities all around the country organize fundraising events for the poor, in addition to public shows such as concerts or more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theatre and even performances by the Mehter - the Janissary Band that was founded during the days of the Ottoman Empire.
Helping the less fortunate, ending past animosities and making up, organizing breakfasts and dinners for loved ones and putting together neighborhood celebrations are all part of the joyous occasion, where homes and streets are decorated and lit up for the celebrations, and television and radio channels continuously broadcast a variety of special Bayram programs, which include movie specials, musical programming and celebratory addresses from celebrities and politicians alike.
[edit] Iran
In the predominantly Shia culture of Iran, Eid is a highly personal event, and celebrations are often more muted. Called Eyde Fetr by most Iranians, charity is important on that day. Visiting the elderly and gathering with families and friends is also very common. Typically, each Muslim family gives food to those in need. Payment of fitra or fetriye is obligatory for each Muslim. Often meat or ghorbani (literally translated as sacrifice, for it is usually a young lamb or calf that is sacrificed for the occasion), which is an expensive food item in Iran, will be given by those in wealthier families to those who have less. The offering of meat is generally a part of the Eid-ul-Azha celebrations and sacrifices (Kurbani) are generally not given during the Eid-ul-fitr celebrations.
Eid pray
Public Eid prayers are held in every Mosque and in public places.the biggest pray is held in mosalla( a speicious place for pray) while the supreme leader is Imam(leads the pray).what is said in qonut(an optional part of pray which the prayer expresses his wants to God) is popular and memorial for all the people.commonly prayers pay "fetriye" in mosalla or any other place after pray,to the people in charge(who know the poor people better)to do the charity for them.
South Asia
In Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the night before Eid is called Chand Raat, which means, night of the moon. People often visit bazaars and shopping malls, with their families and children, for last minute Eid shopping. Women, especially young girls, often paint each others' hands with traditional "henna" and wear colourful bangles.
During Eid, the traditional greeting is Eid Mubarak, and frequently also includes a formal
embrace. Gifts are frequently given -- new clothes are traditional -- and it is also common for children to be given small sums of money (Eidi) by their elders.
After the Eid prayers, it is common for families to visit graveyards and pray for the salvation of departed family members.
Special celebratory dishes in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Fiji include sivayyan, a dish of fine, toasted sweet vermicelli noodles with milk & dried fruit.[6] In Bangladesh, the dish is called shemai.
Some people also avail themselves of this opportunity to distribute Zakat, the Islamic obligatory alms tax on one's wealth, to the needy.
It is common for children to "salam" parents and adult relatives, they usually get money from the adult relative, if the family is middle class or wealthy.
[edit] Southeast Asia
Main article: Hari Raya Aidilfitri
In Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Eid is also commonly known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri,Hari Otak, Hari Raya Idul Fitri or Hari Raya Puasa. Hari Raya literally means 'Day of Celebration' i.e. 'The Day'. Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world. It is the biggest holiday in Indonesia and Malaysia and is the most awaited one. Shopping malls and bazaars are filled with people days ahead of Hari Raya, causing a distinctive festive atmosphere throughout the country. Many banks, government and private offices are closed for this holiday, which usually lasts a week.
The night before Eid is with the takbir which is held in the mosques or musallas. In many parts of Indonesia as well as Malaysia, especially in rural areas, pelita or panjut (oil lamps) are lit up in house compounds. Eid also witnesses a huge migratory pattern of Muslims, from big metropolitan cities to rural areas. This is known as balik kampung or pulang kampung in Indonesian — literally going back to home town to celebrate Eid with one's parents. Special dishes like ketupat, dodol, lemang (a type of glutinous rice cake cooked in bamboo) and other Indo-Malay delicacies are served during this day.
It is common to greet people with "Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri" or "Salam Aidilfitri" which means "Happy Eid". Muslims also greet one another with "maaf lahir dan batin" in Indonesian and "maaf zahir dan batin" in Malaysian, which means "Forgive my physical and emotional (wrongdoings)", because Eid ul-Fitr is not only for celebrations but also the time for Muslims to cleanse their sins and strengthen their ties with relatives and friends.
It is customary for Indonesians and Malays to wear traditional cultural outfits on the Eid. The outfit for men is called baju melayu or baju koko in Indonesia which is worn together with kain samping (made out of songket) and songkok (a dark coloured headgear); in Indonesia the men will usually wear pants with similar color to the shirt or (normal black pants) and a (black head cover called) [Peci]. The women in Indonesia and Malaysia wear what is known as baju kurung and baju kebaya. It is also common to see non-Malay Muslims wear costumes of their culture.
Once the prayer is completed, it is also common for Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia to visit the graves of loved ones. During this visit, they clean the grave, recite Ya-Seen, a chapter (surah) from the Qur'an and also perform the tahlil ceremony. All these are done to ask for God to forgive the dead and also those who are living.
The rest of the day is spent visiting relatives or serving visitors. Eid ul-Fitr is a very joyous day for children for on this day adults are especially generous. Children will be given token sums of money, also known as "duit raya," from their parents or elders.[7][8]
In Indonesia there is a special ritual called halal bi-halal. During this, Indonesians visit their elders, in the family, the neighborhood, or their work, and show respect to them. They will also seek reconciliation (if needed), and preserve or restore harmonious relations.[9]
[edit] Philippines
Philippines, with a majority Christian population, has recognized Eid ul-Fitr as a regular holiday by virtue of Republic Act No. 9177 and signed on November 13, 2002. The law was enacted in deference to the Filipino Muslim community and to promote peace among major religions in the Philippines. The first public holiday was set on December 6, 2002.
[edit] China
See also: Islam in China
In China, out of 56 officially recognized ethnic groups, Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by 10 ethnic groups that practice Islam which amount to 18 million of the total population according to official statistics. It is also a public holiday in China in certain regions, including two province prefecture level regions, Ningxia and Xinjiang. All residents in these areas are entitled of either a one-day or three-day holiday. Whereas outside the Muslim regions, only Muslims have a one-day holiday. In Xinjiang particularly, Eid ul-Fitr is even celebrated by Han Chinese population during which holiday supply such as mutton and beef is distributed to households as part of welfare scheme by government agencies, public and private institutions or businesses.
In the Yunnan province, Muslims are spread throughout the region. On Eid ul-Fitr, however, they travel to Sayyid 'Ajjal's grave, after their communal prayers. First there are readings from the Qur'an, then the tomb is cleaned (reminiscent of the historic annual Chinese Qingming festival in which people go their ancestors' graves, sweep and clean the area and then make food offerings). Finally the accomplishments of the Sayyid 'Ajall are told. In conclusion, a special service is held to honor the hundreds of thousands of Muslims killed during the Qing dynasty, and the hundreds killed during the Cultural Revolution.[10]
Africa
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South Africa
In Cape Town, hundreds of people gather at Green Point for the sighting of the moon on the last day of Ramadan each year. The gathering brings together people from all walks of life, and everyone comes with something to share with others at the time of breaking the fast. The Magrib prayer is then conducted and the sighting of the moon is announced thereafter.
The Day of Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated by first attending the Mosque for Eid prayer. This is followed by visiting neighbours and family. Children receive presents and money from elder members of the family, relatives and neighbours. Most people wear new clothes with bright colours, while biscuits, cakes, samoosas, pies and tarts are presented to visitors as treats. Lunch is usually served in large family groups.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a secular environment. Therefore, as Muslims celebrate the festival, Christians also participate. the Eid is popularly known as "Small Sallah" and people generally greet each other with "Barka De Sallah" which means greetings on sallah in Hausa language. People Celebrate by observing the Eid prayer at designated praying grounds and then retire home to eat meals prepared by the women. The Federal holiday is typically 2 days in Nigeria. Nigerians travel to their respective hometowns irrespective of their religions during this Sallah especially if the holiday is continuous with a weekend.
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