Fasting during the entire month of Ramazan, the 9th in the Islamic calendar, is the third among the five basic tenets of Islam. What the prayers seek to serve five times a day, fasting in the holy month of Ramazan does once a year.
Eid is a spiritual reward for those who keep fast during the entire month of Ramazan in compliance with Allah's Commandment.
An estimated 1.2 billion strong Muslim Ummah, spread the world over, keeps fasts to practice piety. Fasting provides a refreshing vitality to the physical, moral and spiritual health of the faithful. The fear of Allah is the great aim of fasting, which looms large before our eyes.
As the believers fulfil this duty, in total obedience to Allah and in pursuit of His pleasure, they feel the quality of fearing Allah to be a life within them. This is indeed the quality, which guards their hearts against spoiling their fast by indulging in sin, even if it is of the type, which only passes through the mind.
In the Holy Qura'n, we read "Believers! Fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you, so that you may remain God-fearing. Fast a certain number of days. But whoever of you is ill, or on a journey, (shall fast instead the same) number of days later on.
Those who find the strict observance of month-long fasts a strain too hard to bear may compensate for it by the feeding of a needy person. He who does good of his own account does himself good thereby, for to fast is to do yourselves good, if you but knew it" (Al-Baqarah, Sura 2. Verses 183-4)
At the expiry of the month-long exercise in fasting, which can be likened to an on the job 'refresher course', follows a day of collective rejoicing, which can also be likened to a graduation ceremony at which certificates are issued to successful candidates.
Called Eid-ul-Fitr - a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving -- it is a reward for the believers, who successfully complete the spiritual exercise in following Divine injunctions.
One of the three major festivals of the Islamic calendar, Eid-ul-Fitr falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal of the Islamic calendar each year. It is celebrated by the faithful all over the world after they complete an exercise in self-restraint, self-discipline and austerity in consonance with the Will of God.
On the morning of Eid-ul-Fitr the Muslims gather in open spaces in villages, towns and large cities or congregate at large Jamia mosques to offer special Eid prayers.
The festive occasion serves as an annual get-together of the Muslims to offer special prayers to Allah, thanking Him for providing them both the opportunity as well physical and moral strength to keep to purify their bodies and cleanse their minds, and fortify their souls with spiritual strength.
Going by the age-old tradition the Muslims visit their relatives and friends on this auspicious day, as a gesture of enduring fraternal love. Motivated by fraternal feelings of love and brotherhood they embrace their near and dear ones, including their neighbours, and exchange gifts, which help in fostering the bonds of love.
Accruing from the lesson learnt from month-long fasting, which is an exercise in self-discipline, is also a sociological tangent. After keeping fast for a month a Muslim becomes better aware of the needs of his brothers-in-faith, who are socially not that well off. Mellowed by fasting, he makes himself readily available to positively respond to a call for help from an individual or group within his community.
Parenthetically, this spirit was more in evidence this year than in another month of Ramazan when the entire nation enthusiastically and willingly joined efforts to provide relief to their unfortunate brethren, who were stricken by disastrous earthquake in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and the Hazara Division of NWFP.
Forgetting about the discomforts resulting from long travels while keeping fasts they traversed long distances on foot to supply food, medicines, blankets, tents and other items of daily use to the victims of the catastrophe, which killed about 100,000 people and rendered about 3 million homeless.
From yet another point of view, fasting has an immense impact on society, for all the Muslims irrespective of their social status and affluence must observe fast during the entire month of Ramazan. This brings out the essential equality of men that goes a long way in creating among the faithful unity and fraternal feelings.
There is a basic difference in the emphasis of festive occasions among other religions and Islam. While other nations' festivities are pegged to the objective of attaining maximum pleasure, for the Muslims Eid and other Islamic holidays are linked to the strict obedience of Divine Commandment and Will, which require them not to become oblivious of the path shown by Allah for the salvation of mankind.
For the Muslims the prime act of a festivity is to bow his head in a gesture of complete surrender to Almighty Allah, and on his tongue should remain the eulogistic utterances to glorify the Greatness of Allah, Who has created him (humankind) and the Universe.
Islam is a way of life, which requires an absolute and unconditional surrender to the Will of Allah, and not mere submission where it suits its followers. On this very basic principle lies the foundation of each and every deed of a Muslim. Eid, for the Muslims around the world, marks the culmination point of the joy of oneness, which binds all the faithful together.
Islam does not preach asceticism. But at the same time, it is against waste and ostentation. It enjoins upon the Muslims to give Zakat and Fitrana to ensure that the less fortunate among them are also provided an opportunity to share the joy of festivities.
This year Eid should be celebrated with complete austerity in view of the devastating earthquake, which has taken a heavy toll of life and property. As we have already convincingly demonstrated, we should not forget our unfortunate brethren on this festive occasion and redouble our efforts to provide soccour and relief to the sufferers by appropriating a certain portion from the money, which otherwise we would have spent on Eid festivities.
On this Eid, let's give as much as we can to the poor (not the professional beggars), the needy, the destitute, the orphans and the widows, who otherwise are not in a position to celebrate this important Islamic festival.
Let's also seek them out, first from our immediate neighbourhood and then from other areas in the city, the province and beyond (in AJK and NWFP) to provide them adequate help in such a manner as will not injure their pride and self-respect.
Islam teaches us to share our wealth and prosperity with other (poor) brethren-in-faith. This is what the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught his followers. A nation or a country cannot prosper and achieve peace and stability, if there are only a few privileged citizens wallowing in the ill-gotten wealth, while a vast multitude remains mired in poverty, disease, ignorance and, misery.
We should demonstrate once again that in times of need the Muslims forget differences among them and join hands in efforts to help their needy brethren. Eid is one occasion, which reminds of our duty to the less fortunate brothers and sisters, who are not in a position to participate in the festivities due to their own limitations. Sparing a part of our wealth for the earthquake victims will go to prove that we follow the Divine injunctions in their letter and spirit.
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