The Eid ul Fitr Rituals - based on Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Alhamdolillah, the month of Ramadan has come to an end for many countries in the world. Those Muslims who had observed the month with religious zeal and fervor, kept all fasts during the month and recited Qur'an and attended Traweeh prayers, the siting of the new moon brings them a sense of satisfaction that they observed the month to the best of their abilities and now look forward for the festivities of Eid ul Fitr which takes place on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawaal.

Our best wishes to all believers on this happy day, a day they we all Muslims should celebrate for Allah has blessed us to be festive for we kept fast throughout the month of Ramadan only to please Allah, and we now look forward to the countless blessings Allah has promised us for Fasting is the only religious obligation which is solely between the servant and the Master.

Now let us have a quick look at the rituals of the Eid ul Fitr which commences early in the morning. But remember, before the day, we should have given our Zakatul Fitr to the poor and needy so that they too could join in the Eid festivities. These rituals are based on Sunnah of Muhammad ﷺ as these appear in various authentic Hadith books:

• It is mustahabb to recite takbeer during the night of Eid from sunset on the last day of Ramadaan until the imam comes to lead the prayer. The format of the takbeer is: Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god except Allah, Allaah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allah). 
• It is Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that he would take a bath before going out for the Eid prayers.
• After taking the bath, it is recommended to wear new or the best pair of clothes one may have. There is a Hadith narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that: `Umar bought a silk cloak from the market, took it to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Take it and adorn yourself with it during the `Id and when the delegations visit you." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "This dress is for those who have no share (in the Hereafter)." After a long period, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent to `Umar a cloak of silk brocade. `Umar came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with the cloak and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! You said that this dress was for those who had no share (in the Hereafter); yet you have sent me this cloak." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him, "Sell it and fulfill your needs by it." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 948) That is the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) agreed with ‘Umar on the idea of adorning oneself for ‘Eid, but he denounced him for choosing this cloak because it was made of silk. 
• With regard to women, they should not wear beautiful clothes when they go out to the Eid prayer-place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Let them go out looking decent” i.e., in regular clothes that are not fancy. Though, they should go out without wearing perfume and makeup. 
• Apply fragrance/perfume so that one should have a pleasing smell around him when he meets others and greets them.
• Then eat something before leaving the house. It was the Sunnah of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he would not leave his house without eating a few dates. A hadith informs us that normally the number of dates were in odd numbers. Eating is an indication that one is not fasting on Eid day.

It is Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of `Id-ul-Fitr unless he had eaten some dates. Anas also narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to eat odd number of dates. (Sahi Bokhari: Hadith 953)

• It is recommended that one should go to the prayer by one route and return by another. 
• Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “On the day of ‘Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to vary his route.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 986) It was said that the reason for that was so that the two routes would testify for him on the Day of Resurrection, for the earth will speak on the Day of Resurrection and say what was done on it, both good and bad. 
• It is generally recommended that one goes to a place where a large number of people have gathered for the Eid congregation. This ensures meeting with each other and joining hands together to begin the Eid festivities by thanking Allah for having brought us this blessed day. 
• After the Eid prayer has been offered, everyone should greet as many people as one can, congratulate them. Men should embrace each other three times after the Eid prayers. Some say that we should say to each other: "Taqabbala Allah minna wa minkum (May Allah accept (good deeds) from us and from you” or “‘Eid mubaarak” and other permissible expressions of congratulations. 

Men greeting each other after the Eid prayers at the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan [Photo]

Back home, the children await their elders for "Eidi", a monetary gift specific to Eid ul Fitr. I remember having received such Eidi in my childhood, not only from my parents but also from relatives visiting our home on Eid day. These treasured monetary gifts would make our day as we would go out, buy a toy or have a cold drink and buy sweets and other eateries being sold on make shift arrangements for the day.

Sheer Kurma is one the most prepared Eid dessert made with soft vermicelli creamy lightly thick milk mix with crunchy dry fruits (Photo)

On this day, ladies prepare special dishes, especially sweet dishes, which are devoured after the Eid prayers and are also served to guests coming in to convey their Eid greetings. Small girls, and big ones alike' buy bangles and wear specially stitched clothes with adorable laces and buttons. Prior to Eid day, they have their hands decorated with beautiful designs made with Henna.

You may like to watch an informative interactive video on Etiquettes of Eid ul Fitr:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | 

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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The minimum scale of Zakatul Fitr

In one of our previous posts, we talked of Zakatul Fitr: What it is, why, when and to whom it is to be given. In this post we will share a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about the minimum scale of Zakatul Fitr, based on a quantity of barely or dates, as these were the two most common means of subsistence in the times of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book # 24 Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat) كتاب الزكاة / Chapter # 70 Obligation of Sadaqat-ul-Fitr باب فَرْضِ صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ ) as Hadith number # 1503 given herein under:

 

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ السَّكَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَهْضَمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ، أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ وَالْحُرِّ، وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى، وَالصَّغِيرِ وَالْكَبِيرِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَمَرَ بِهَا أَنْ تُؤَدَّى قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn `Umar:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the `Id prayer. 

(One Sa' = 3 Kilograms approx.)

The scale given above is the minimum scale. However, those who can afford to give more, they should do so to help the poor and make Eid day a day of festivity for them and their children.

Some interpreters of this hadith are of the opinion that Zakatul-Fitr be only given in kind of the two eatable barley and dates. But majority opines that cash can also be given in lieu equivalent to price of barley and dates as per the given scale.

It is better to give Zakatul-Fitr 2-3 days before Eid ul Fitr so that the receiepient of Zakatul-Fitr could buy clothes for family or buy other eatables as may be required by them. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith

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Eid ul Fitr 2020 in Trying times

Alhamdolillah, the month of Ramadan, the month of countless blessings, has come to an end with the sighting of the crescent of month of  Shawwal 1441 AH.  Those who adhered to obligations of the month of Ramadan, kept all 29 fasts, recited the Qur'an and gave away charities, In Sha Allah, they will be rewarded of their self sacrifices. 

The dawn of 24th May brings glad tidings for all believers to celebrate Eid ul Fitr " عيد الفطر ". The day dawns with the special Eid prayer congregations all over the Muslim world, which is followed by embracing each other to greet the blessings of the day.  On this day, sweet dishes are prepared, for which this Eid is also known as the Sweet Eid. Friends and relatives visit each other houses and greet the families while the children are given away Eid money, a ritual of specially liking for the children. Families thereafter move out to recreational parks where children take rides and enjoy the day. Special meals are prepared to celebrate the day with families and relatives.

One of the hallmark of the Eid ul Fitr is giving away charities, called Fitr or Fitrana,  before the special Eid prayers to the poor and needy. This ensures participation of the poor in the Eid day celebrations. Many believers give away cooked food to the poor. Believers also visit grave yards to pray for the forgiveness of their near and dear ones buried there.

However, this year, the Eid will be celebrated in trying times of Corona pandemic which has plagued the entire world. Many of the rituals like Eid prayer congregations will be curtailed and embracing each other may not take place in order to ensure the minimum social distance required to arrest spread of the Corona virus. Likewise the recreation too will be heavily scaled down as almost all recreational parks and playgrounds are closed. 

For reverts who will be celebrating their first Eid, this day will not be the same as they may have been excitedly and anxiously waiting for. But times would change and In Sha Allah, next year the clouds of Corona Virus will be lifted to enjoy Eid in traditional ways.

Instead of personal visits, technology and Social Media will assist in video chats to talk to each other and share Eid greetings. In fact, creativity in celebrating the Eid will be add to the otherwise dull environment due to Corona virus. One may dish out cooked meals and sweets to friends and families while maintaining social distance, while not forgetting to keep envelopes containing money for the children. In fact this Eid will be a virtual Eid rather than a physical activity.

So do not make it a dull day due to restrictions and celebrate the happiness of the day virtually and as best as it be made happy by innovating one's activities. 

We at Islam: My Ultimate Decision, wish all our readers a very happy Eid. May Allah accept or fasting during Ramadan and Qur'an recitations and our charities and Zakat. Aameen

You may watch the video below as despite all constraints, Muslims around the world continue to celebrate the coming Eid while still adhering to the precautions:

Photo

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Five Most Favoured Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah on Eid Day

Alhamdolillah, the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting has come to an end and in some prats of the world the Eid ul Fitr is being observed today, while others will celebrate it tomorrow. A very Happy Eid to all our readers around the world.

The first thing on the Eid Day is to get ready for the Eid prayers which are generally held at large open spaces around small towns and villages or in many mosques in big cities and town. to begin this day of happiness and festivities, let us begin it the way the Prophet of Allah did so as to add to more spice to our preparations and follow the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The five most favoured sunnah of the Prophet of Allah include:

• Recite Takbir
• Taking Ghusl / full bath
• Eat something, preferably a few dates as the Prophet of Allah used to
• Attend the Eid prayers and greet as many Muslims as possible after the Eid Prayers by  embracing known or even unknown Muslims
• Take a different route home

These simple five Sunnahs are best described in the video below. Scroll down to see the video:

Happy Eid to all my readers around the world !!

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Rwanda

Republic of Rwanda a country in Central and East Africa has Islam as the largest minority religion of the country. Approximately 4.6% of the total population of the country is Muslims, virtually all practicing Sunni Muslims. Estimates show that there are equal numbers of Muslims among the Hutus as there are among the Tutsis.

Islam came to this part of the world in the 18th century, which was followed by the  Roman Catholic Church, in the late 19th century, but due to rather inactive Muslim community, it soon became the state and the largest religion in the country. Islam came through Arab traders from Zanzibar who first entered the country in 1901. Alternatively, it has been argued that Islam arrived during the colonial period when Muslim clerks, administrative assistants, and merchants from the Swahili-speaking coast of Tanganyika were brought to the country. Islam was also bolstered by Muslim merchants from South Asia, mainly modern Pakistan and India.

During its history, many efforts were made to impede the spread of Islam in Rwanda. These efforts generally exploited anti-Arab sentiment, and presented Muslims as foreigners. Catholic missionaries often went to great lengths to counter what they perceived influence of rival religions, such as Islam and Protestantism. Muslims were further marginalized by the fact that most Muslims settled in urban areas, whereas 90 percent of the population was rural. As neither Arab nor South Asian merchants ever attempted to further their faith, there was little spirit of preaching among Muslims.

Rwandans built their first mosque in 1913. This mosque is known as Al-Fatah Mosque.

April each year brings back the haunting memories of a heinous genocide of the Tutsi people which was carried out by the ruling Hutu government. In the 100-day period from 7 April to 15 July 1994, an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, constituting an estimated 70% of the Tutsi population. Like other Rwandans, Muslims too were affected by the genocide and a  large number of Muslims who took shelter in the churches were massacred without mercy, many say the the churches assisted the killers to kill all those taking shelters in the churches. Those who went to churches as a last resort to seek refuge but death eventually found them, even in what they hoped were houses of God.

The indecent and inhuman behaviour of the church siding the Hutu killers, had a telling effect on the people of Rwanda and the number of Rwandan Muslims increased after the 1994 genocide due to large numbers of conversions. The conversions were also because of the fact that the Muslims  sheltered refugees, both Hutu and Tutsi. A handful of Muslims took a stand during the hundred days of slaughter. Mosques that were once labeled by the Hutus as the "Devil House" came to save those affected by the genocide, irrespective of their faith.

Their stance inspired thousands of Rwandans to become Muslim in what was once called Africa’s most Catholic country. Here are a few accounts:

“I was a Catholic pastor before genocide,” Matabaro Sulaiman told TRT World on a chilly Thursday night in Kigali, dressed in a flashy purple jilbab - a long loose-fit dress worn by Muslim men. When the genocide in Rwanda began in 1994, the 49-year-old, suffered a crisis of faith watching the churches, in which he preached peace and unity became slaughterhouses.  “Christians were killing people in the church,” Sulaiman said. “The [victims] went to churches thinking they will find peace but instead, they were killed. “Meanwhile, I saw Muslims take people inside the mosque.” [2]

Some of the ex-Christians who are now Muslim were interviewed by the New York Times. Yakobo Djuma Nzeyimana, a 21-year-old who became a Muslim in 1996, was quoted as saying: "People died in my old church and the pastor helped the killers. I couldn't go back and pray there. I had to find something else." Another, Alex Rutiririza, who also accepted Islam, expressed his admiration of the Muslims’ role during the genocide: "The Muslims handled themselves well in 1994 and I wanted to be like them," he said. He added that during the massacres the safest place to be was the Muslim neighbourhood. [6]

Mbarushimana Hussain was four years old when he and his parents took shelter in a mosque for a month. "Even though, I was four years old, I can't forget that Muslim man. “Amid mass murder, the Muslim guy used to go out everyday and brought food for 40 non-Muslims in the mosque. Ten years after genocide, I became Muslim along with my mother and father. We couldn't forget the kindness of Muslims.” [2]

The Marc Lacey of New York Times reported in her post of April 7, 2004: When 800,000 of their countrymen were killed in massacres that began 10 years ago this week, many Rwandans lost faith not only in their government but in their religion as well. Today, in what is still a predominantly Catholic country, Islam is the fastest growing religion. [5] 

Jean Pierre Sagautu was one of these persecuted members of the Tutsi tribe, a convert to Islam from Catholic after his father and nine members of his family were slaughtered.

“I know people in America think Muslims are terrorists, but for Rwandans they were our freedom fighters during the genocide… I wanted to hide in a church, but that was the worst place to go. Instead, a Muslim family took me. They saved my life.”

During the mass killing of Tutsi, militias had the place surrounded, but Hutu Muslims did not cooperate with the Hutu killers. They said they felt far more connected through religion than through ethnicity, and Muslim Tutsi were spared. This good behaviour has had a telling effect on the Muslim population through conversion. Muslims ho once made up one percent of the population before the genocide, today “12 percent to 15 percent of the total population is Muslim”, according to Salim Habimana, a former Mufti of the country. 

While the Tutsis mostly embraced Islam to protect themselves from liquidations and to follow the people who saved them, Hutus also came to leave behind them their violent past. The more the new converted Tutsis and Hutus knew about Islam the more they became closer to each other. Islam taught them how to forgive and to love each other for the sake of Allah and how to start a new beginning. Imams from both sides played a very important role in bringing both ethnicities together under the name of Islam. [7]

As an aftermath of the 1994 genocide, Islam is respected more than ever before. The Muslim religious holiday Eid al-Fitr is observed by the government as one of the four religious official holiday (alongside Christmas, All Saints' Day, and Assumption).  Although in minority, Islam is accorded the same rights and freedoms as Christianity. Muslims are now more pro active and run their own private Islamic schools. There are interfaith talks and meetings with open door policy of the Muslims that help them to be respected just like other citizens of other faiths. 

Muslims are gathering after the Jumaa prayer in Masjid Al Quds in Kigali, Rwanda, 22 March 2019. 

(Mucahid Durmaz / TRTWorld)

As a well-integrated minority group, Muslims actively contribute to Rwandan society and they are seen as a respectable community.  In fact Islam as become a very popular religion in Rwanda. The authorities in the country have started to allow Muslims to teach Rwandans about Islam and Muslim organizations are allowed to spread their activities across the country. Today Muslims boast of so many converts that it had embarked on a crash campaign to build new mosques to accommodate all of the faithful. About 500 mosques are now scattered throughout Rwanda, about double the number that existed a decade ago.

You may like to watch a video showing Muslims of Rwanda celebrating Eid ul Fitr:

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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