Eid-ul-Fitr

Eid ul Fitr is the most awaited festival of the country. It is celebrated on the 1st of Shawal the 10th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid ul Fitr is celebrated to commemorate the end of Ramadan. Ramadan the 9th Islamic month is the month of fasting. Muslims are directed not only to abstain from food and drink but also from sex, carnal thoughts, anger, lies, betrayal, deception and other weaknesses. Fasting is mainly to purify a person physically and spiritually. On the 29th of Ramadan, people gather on their roof tops to sight the moon. The sighting of the moon is followed by a burst of joy and festivity which lasts for three days. The cries of “Eid Mubarak” (Happy Eid) fill the air.

The night prior to Eid is called “chand raat”. It is specially enjoyed by the young people who rush to the malls for last minute shopping. Girls adorn their hands with beautiful henna patterns and buy glass bangles which match with their suits.

On Eid morning, men go to the mosques to offer special Eid prayers. The women say their prayers at home. The women prepare special dishes like sweet vermicelli cooked in milk and dry fruits and spicy chick peas etc. Everybody dresses up in new clothes. The elders give eiddie a sum of money to the younger ones. Relatives, friends and neighbors visit each other.

The poor are not ignored on this joyful day. Most of the families give new clothes to their servants. The servants are also given eiddie. Money is given as charity through out the month of Ramadan to help the poor and the needy.

Eid ul Fitr is a very important day which brings happiness to all and is celebrated with fervor by all.

Eid ul Fitar, Religious Fesitval of the Muslims

Eid ul Fitar, Religious Fesitval of the Muslims
Posted in Islamic Festivals on 20. Sep, 2009

The Eid ul Fitar is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims. It marks the end of Ramadan and  is  celebrated on the starting day of Shawaal, the tenth month of the Islamic Calendar. For Muslims, Eid ul Fitar is a joyous day since it is an opportunity for them to offer thanksgiving. As a true Thanksgiving Day, Muslims show appreciation to Allah for their opportunities in life, strength, and good health. They also give thanks to Allah for the fulfillment of their obligations such as good deeds and fasting during the blessed month of Ramadan.
The name of Eid ul Fitar is derived from two Arabic words, “Eid” and “Fitr”. Eid means “festivity” while Fitr refers to charity or nature. This religious festival is an entire day of celebration for Muslims. It is often called the “Smaller Eid” since the “Greater Eid” lasts for four days. During this festival Muslims are required to complete their fasting on the last day of Ramadan in accordance to their Holy Book, the Quran. The “Takbir” is also recited by Muslims all throughout the Eid period.
The common greetings during the Eid ul Fitar festival are the Arabic terms of “Id sa id” or “Happy Eid”, and “Id Mubarak” or “Blessed Eid”. Apparently, most Muslim countries have their own greetings based on their local traditions and language.
At the start of the Eid ul Fitar festival, Muslims wake up early and have a small breakfast before attending a special Eid prayer called a “salah”. Salah is performed in groups at mosques or open places such as squares and fields. Muslims usually wear their best clothes for the occasion. The Eid prayer is followed by a sermon known as “khutbah” and a plea asking for help, mercy, and forgiveness for all living things in the world. The sermon instructs the Muslims to do rituals of Eid, such as the “zakat”. After the prayers, Muslims visit their acquaintances, friends, and relatives as well as the graveyards of their loved ones who have died.

The Message of Ramadan

The Message of Ramadan
Posted in Islamic Festivals on 15. Sep, 2009
How many times have you had someone ask you (in a candid gathering) if you were to choose, what would you give up: food or sex? This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions around the globe and not an easy one to answer! The cliché in our part of the world is “the route to your man’s heart is through his stomach”, which proves how important food is for men. And when you’re not quite sure what’s on your man’s mind, they say, your best bet is sex! Women, of course, are no exception.
How on earth then, can both men and women give up both these things HAPPILY for one entire month every year? This, my friends, is the magic of Ramadan which casts its spell on Muslims throughout the world every year. God has prescribed fasting during Ramadan. One is to give up both lawful and unlawful things while fasting to win God’s pleasure and blessings.
The question I would like to address here is, “While it’s great to give up those unlawful filthy habits like stealing, fraud, lying, lust etc, why does God want us to give up lawful things like food and sex during this fast?” The philosophy at the core is very profound and proves that only the Creator knows His creation including their various needs. Human beings have a natural propensity towards goodness and a natural aversion to evil. The only reason crime is born is that either one has no control over their wild desires or they cannot fulfill their desires through the legal means. These instances are when they resort to wrongful ways. If you look around yourself, the fact that all sorts of crime are prevalent in societies is based upon unfulfilled needs and desires. At the top of the list of such needs are hunger and lust. That’s why the crime rate is generally higher in poor countries with low per capita and illiteracy.
Thus, Ramadan comes every year to prepare us to control our desires whether we are rich or poor. If one has sufficient self-control and is always mindful of his Creator, he will not go astray even in the most difficult times. This is the beautiful message of Ramadan enclosed in dignity and faith!

The Glory of Ramadan

The Glory of Ramadan

Note: The statements on fasting may be exaggerated or misleading according to the latest scientific information.
Note: “sehr” and “aftar” are not English words, I was not certain how to interpret them or edit them.

Posted in Islamic Festivals on 28. Aug, 2009
Ramadan is by far the most special month of the year for Muslims throughout the world. The sacred scripture of Muslims, the Holy Quran, was revealed in Ramadan. Allah has prescribed fasting in this month for all Muslims. When one is fasting, one has to give up all of those things which are otherwise lawful for him –for example, food and sex as well as those which are unlawful, of course, like back biting, lying, stealing, hurting others, etc. I believe that Ramadan comes every year to give us a crash course on how to live like human beings. It helps us improve our mental, spiritual and physical well-being and shed the “burdens” we carry throughout the

year.It replenishes the soul and empowers us, once again boosting our sense of self-control and dignity.

Physical health: It’s no secret what miracles fasting can do for our bodies! It relieves a burden off our digestive system and boosts the vigor of each and every cell contained in our bodies. Ramadan trains us to refrain from gluttony, a common cause of many life-threatening diseases, and cleanses our body from harmful toxins resulting from overeating.
Mental & Spiritual health: Ramadan gives us peace of mind. It teaches compassion, empathy and humility. It makes us realize what its like to survive without food and water. In addition, we tend to become more conscious of other peoples’ problems and to count our blessings and show gratitude to Allah Almighty. Ramadan also has a festive feel to it. Muslims from all over the world become united in spirit. Life is too fast nowadays and members of a family seldom get a chance to sit down and eat together. Ramadan provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to eat together at sehr and aftar.
Thus, the blessings and bounties of Ramadan are innumerable. As Muslims, we all should try to take maximum advantage of them and amend ourselves for the better while we can!

Top 2 Religious Festivals of August

Top 2 Religious Festivals of August
Posted in Festivals in August on 22. Aug, 2009
The month of August is celebrated by many countries in the world with religious festivals and events. Since Christians and Muslims have the highest populations among religions of the world, the top two religious festivals of August are associated with them.

The name of the Ramadan Festival refers to the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. During this festival, Muslims across the world will fast during the daylight hours. This means they will have no food and no drink. The starting day of this festival depends on the time of the new moon’s appearance. This festival is a time of contemplation and worship for Muslims. It is also a time for them to strengthen their community and family ties. In addition, Muslims believe that throughout the duration of the festival, the “Jannat” or gates ofheaven are open while the “Jahanam” or gates of hell are closed.

The Lammas Day is a religious festival for Christians wherein the first wheats of the year are harvested. To celebrate this, houses are decorated with garlands and processions of people holding lit candles. This festival is one of the oldest medieval festivals and has pagan connections. In medieval times, the fist loaves from the harvest were considered as the strongest religious element and were brought to the church. This is where the term of “lammas” was derived referring to “loaf mass”. Many superstitions and rituals are associated with the Lammas Festival that are connected with the pagan origins.