Celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr Way of Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S)

Celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr Way of Prophet Muhammad Messenger of Allah(S.A.W.S)

The first day of the month of Shawwal is Eid ul-Fitr- marking a day of celebration and thanks for Allah, our Creator and Cherisher. The month of Ramadan ends here.

..: Announcement of Forgiveness for Everyone :

Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) has said:

“The blessed night of Eid-ul-Fitr is referred to as the ‘Laylatul Jaizah’ (i.e. the Night of Reward). On the morning of Eid, Allah swt sends His angels to every city where they stand at the end of every street and call out, O Ummah of Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam)! Come to the court of Beneficent Allah, who grants in abundance and forgives even the most severe sin.

Allah then says to His servants, O My servants! Ask for whatever you want! I swear by My Honour and Glory! I will grant whatever you ask for about your Hereafter in this gathering (of the Eid Salah) today. And whatever you want regarding the world; I will see your betterment (i.e. I will do what is best for you). I swear by My honour! I will conceal your mistakes as long as you abide by my commandments. I swear by My Honour, I will not humiliate you with the sinners; so return to your homes, forgiven. You have pleased Me and I am pleased with you.

[At-Targhib Wat-Tarhib, Vol. 2, Page 61, Hadith 1493]

Here is what the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to do on the day of Eid.

To rise early in the morning

• Take a bath.
• Clean the teeth.
• Wear the best clothes that he had.
• Use perfume.
• To eat something sweet like dates before leaving home.
• Go to the Eid prayer location very early.

He used to walk up to the place of Eid prayer.

He used to recite on the way to the Eid prayer location the following words:

“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallahu Wallahu Akbar,

Allahu Akbar, Wa lillahil Hamd.”

(Allah is the greatest, He is the greatest. There is no god except Allah. He is the greatest. All praises and thanks are to Him) The Prophet used to give Sadqa-e-Fitr (Zakatul Fitr) before the Eid day.

The Eid Prayers

Eid prayer consists of two units of prayer (Rakats) with six Takbeers (the raising of the hands while saying Allahu Akbar [God is the Greatest]) in congregation, followed by the Khutbah (sermon) of Eid.

• Follow the Imam by raising both hands up to the ears, say, Allahu Akbar, this is the first Takbeer to enter in the Salat.
• Then fold your hands in the front and recite the ‘Sanaa’, (subhaanakallahumma) till the end and then say Allahu Akbar thrice, following your imam, each time raising both hands up to the ears and dropping them. After each takbir, there is going to be a slight pause in which Subhanallah may be recited thrice.
• After the third Takbeer, the hands should be folded in front and listen to the imam reciting Aoozubillah, Bismillah, Surah Fateha and some other Surah and
• Then perform Ruku(bowing) as Imam says Allahu Akbar and
• Then go to Sajdah(prostration) as usual following your Imam’s Takbeer.
• In the second Raka, the Imam will first recite Surah Fateha and some other Surah. Then he will say three Takbeers after it. In all of these three Takbeers, hands will not be folded, but dropped after each Takbeer. And then go into the Ruku just after the fourth takbir.
• Listening to the Khutbah after the Eid Salaat is Waajib (obligatory).
• There is neither Azan nor Iqamah for the Eid Prayers.
• Women and the men who cannot offer the Eid Prayers due to some reason, should not offer any voluntary prayer before the Eid prayer.
• Ahnaaf scholar rules for women in Eid:- Like women, it is recommended for women on the day of Eid to bathe and wear fine clothes; Because it is happiness and beauty. It is a day of adornment and if desired, Eid prayer can be done in Eidgah or Masjid after that, they can pray the Nafl prayer alone in their homes as thanksgiving. (Shami Zakariya: 84/3 with reference to Kitab al-Masail: 44001)

• The Ahle-Hadith scholars maintain the view that women and children have been enjoined to attend the Eid prayer, because the Eid, like the Friday Prayer, is a special feature of Islam, and the holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) himself has exhorted the women to go to the Eid ground. Hadrat Umm’atiyyah has narrated; “The holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) commanded us that we should take young unmarried girls and grown-up women, even those menstruating, along with us to the Eid ground. The menstruating women, however, are not to attend the prayer, but should sit aside and keep on pronouncing the Takbir, and join only in the supplications.
• The recitation in the Eid prayer is to be audible.
• The sermon should be delivered after the prayer, Hadrat Abu Sa’id says; “The holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) would first of all offer the Eid prayer, then he would stand up facing the people who kept on sitting in their rows and he would instruct them in religion. After this, he would return home”. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Rewards of Fasting

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “He who fasts solely for the sake of Allah, has all his previous sins forgiven.

• The odor of the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.
• It is narrated in the Hadith that on the Day of Judgement even before Reckoning has taken place, the fasting people will be sumptuously fed under the shade of Allah’s Arsh (Throne) while others will be still embroiled in the hardships of Reckoning.
• The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said the sleep of a fasting person is Ibadat, and his silence is Tasbeeh (recitation of Subhan Allah).
• Fasting is a shield as long as the fasting person does not rupture it with lies and backbiting.
• Saum and the Quran will intercede on behalf of the servant of Allah. Saum will say My Rabb! I forbade him from sleep at night and desires during the day, therefore, accept my intercession on his behalf. The Quran will say: ‘I forbade him from sleep at night, therefore, accept my intercession on his behalf.’ Thus, their intercession will be accepted.

Kaffarah, Qadha Saum and Fidyah

A fast of Ramadan broken deliberately without a valid reason, after having made the Niyyat for fasting during the night, brings about the penalty of Kaffarah.

• A traveler is permitted to refrain from Saum, although it is meritorious for him/her to fast, if the journey is not a difficult one. The traveler shall make Qadha of all Saum omitted during the journey.
• If a woman starts menstruating during the course of the fasting day, the fast is not valid. It is not incumbent to abstain from eating during the remaining part of the day. Preferably, it is better to avoid eating in the presence of those who are fasting. She can compensate for her missed fasts later after Ramadan.
• When a pregnant woman has a genuine fear for either her own life or the life of the child she is bearing, it will be permissible for her to refrain from Saum. She will have to make Qadha of the Saum she misses as a result.
• A very old person who is truly unable to fast is permitted to refrain from Saum. He has to offer compensation by means of paying the Fidyah.

Qadha Saum

Qadha means to fulfill or to compensate for fasts which are not executed when they were due.

• It is necessary to make Qadha of Saum as soon as possible since one does not know when death will overtake one. While it is not Wajib to make the Qadha immediately after Ramadan or on any other specific day, Qadha should not be unnecessarily delayed.
• For the validity of Qadha Saum, it is essential to make Niyyat during the night, i.e. before Subah Sadiq.
• Saum omitted on account of Menses has to be made Qadha.
• It is not obligatory to keep the Qadha Saum all at once (consecutively). The Qadha Saum may be spread over a period, or they may be kept consecutively.
• If, by the time death approaches, the Qadha has not yet been discharged, it will then be obligatory to make a settlement for payment of Fidyah.
• Similarly, if due to old age or sickness one is unable to fast and the Qadha has not yet been executed, wasiyyat to pay Fidyah will be wajib(obligatory).

Kaffarah of Ramadan

Kaffarah (compensation) is the penalty which is imposed by Shariah for the deliberate and flagrant nullification of the Saum of Ramadan.

• Kaffarah applies to only the Saum of Ramadan.
• Kaffarah would come into force only if the Niyyat for fasting was made at night, i.e. before Subah Sadiq. Thus, if Niyyat was made during the night to fast the following day, and then the fast is broken without a valid reason, the Kaffarah penalty comes into effect.
• Kaffarah for flagrantly breaking a fast of Ramadan is to fast 60 consecutive days- sixty days, one after the other, without missing any day in between.
• The Kaffarah will be rendered invalid if for any reason- be it a valid reason, even a single day is omitted during the 60 day-Kaffarah course. Thus, if a person fasted for 59 days and failed to fast on the 60th day due to illness, he will have to start the Kaffarah all over again. The only interruption which will not invalidate the Kaffarah is the monthly menses of women.
• A person who is unable to discharge the Kaffarah because of ill-health or very old age will have to feed 60 poor persons. Each miskeen (poor) should be given two full meals for the day or the amount of cash which is given as Sadaqah Fitr. This amount is the price of approximately 2 kilograms bread flour. Instead of the cash, the flour may also be given.
• A single Ramadan makes Wajib only one Kaffarah irrespective of the number of fasts flagrantly broken during that Ramadan
• If fasts were flagrantly nullified in more than one Ramadan, the number of Kaffarah would be equal to the number of Ramadan. So if fasts were flagrantly broken in three different Ramadans, three different Kaffarah would be obligatory.

Celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr Way of Prophet Muhammad Messenger of Allah(S.A.W.S)