In the backdrop of a growing war and straitening economic circumstances, a question naturally arises: what are we celebrating and how should we go about it? This is a pertinent question, and its answer is simpler yet more profound than you might realise.
In Ramadan, Muslims often familiarise themselves with the pangs of hunger and thirst associated with fasting from dawn to dusk. We also come to terms with the fact that whereas we exercise renunciation voluntarily, others suffer out of helplessness. In an increasingly individualistic world, Islam instils a sense of empathy and responsibility towards those less fortunate than us.
This month of fasting during Ramadan culminates in a day of celebration: Eid. The word itself means a festival, literally meaning a day that returns. This is a happy day for those believers who spent Ramadan in abstinence and worship. But the world is deeply troubled today. Whether it’s the war in Iran or the travesty in Gaza, the state of the world is frightening and begs the question: how do we celebrate Eid?
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa beautifully explains:
“It should be remembered that Eid, in reality, means joy, and joy is experienced when a person achieves success. If there is no success, then no sensible person would feel happy; rather, they would grieve over failure. Thus, we must view Eid in this light. When someone celebrates Eid, they are in fact claiming success. Therefore, each of us must reflect on whether we have truly achieved success and whether we have the right to celebrate Eid because of it.
“It is worth pondering: if we designate one day as Eid, wear fine clothes, eat well, create outward festivity, make noise, attend and host gatherings – these all involve spending. These things are not free. So if an Eid only involves spending and gives us nothing in return, then it cannot be a true Eid. At best, it gives temporary happiness.
“True Eid is that which gives us something – it is an inner Eid, a spiritual Eid, a heartfelt Eid. It is the Eid that nourishes the soul and grants us something meaningful. For a Muslim, the greatest treasure is to attain the pleasure of Allah – and this is the true Eid, because in it lies real success.” (Al Fazl International, 24 November 2020, p. 6)
In Ramadan, we often make a great effort to align our will with God’s will, performing greater worship than we usually would. Eid comes around to remind us to maintain and increase that standard, understanding that there is nothing like spiritual happiness or fulfilment. Unlike an outward display of happiness that dissipates as the day progresses, a spiritual Eid never ends. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra states:
“What is Eid? It is to meet God. Therefore, take a lesson from the day of Eid and strive to meet God – such striving that never becomes weak. If you attain this, then there will be no sorrow that cannot be removed and no comfort that cannot be achieved. One who finds God cannot be saddened by any death, nor hurt by anger. […]
“No death of a loved one, no conflict, no trial, no illness can make such a person truly sorrowful. So if you desire Eid, know that it is not about wearing white clothes or eating sweet dishes. True Eid is establishing a relationship with God and reconciling with Him.
“When this Eid comes, it never departs. There is no evening to this Eid. No era can end it. That day is such that its Eid never finishes. […]
“This Eid neither ends in this world, nor in the grave, nor in the hereafter. Rather, it begins here and reaches its peak in the next world.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 1, p. 85)
A great deal of suffering exists in the world today. Humanity faces dark times indeed. In such a state, alongside creating an Eid that lasts forever, we bear a great responsibility. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra tells us what this responsibility is:
“Pledge today that by the time the next Eid comes, a transformation will be evident within you. In fact, begin this transformation from now. This is a very critical time. In thirteen hundred years, Islam has not faced a time like the present. That is why God has kept for the followers of the Promised Messiahas the same rewards that were granted to the followers of the Holy Prophetsa. If we lose this opportunity, we may never get such a time again.
“Therefore, strive so that the truth of Islam becomes manifest to the entire world and all people enter its fold. Then whatever great rewards anyone has ever attained will be granted to us, and the doors of those blessings will open for us. That will be the true time of Eid – when we achieve these rewards and spread the religion of God throughout the world.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 1, p. 47)
These words of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra ring true today more than ever before.
Everything mentioned above can be acted upon. And with the blessings of Khilafat, we can find the best example of celebrating Eid in our world today. With regards to how his Eid looks, Huzooraa tells us:
“Before Eid prayer, normally I spend some time preparing my khutba. And after Eid, when I come home, I see my children, my family members and also, I call some of my friends, my relatives and say ‘Eid Mubarak’, or receive calls from them. And then, normally, I come to my office and start working again.
“Then after the Zuhr prayer, I take lunch with my family members and after that, my routine work starts again, as I spend on normal days. So, there is not much difference apart from this, that on Eid days, I receive ‘Eid mubarak’ calls from different people and also, at the same time, I sit together with my family members for one hour and take my lunch with them.” (Mulaqat With Atfal, Northern Regions UK, 1 May 2021)
In the modern era, this gives us a glimpse into how believers should spend their Eid. As we share our happiness with our loved ones, we must not forget the bigger picture: a true Eid that lasts forever can only be attained when we decide to change our definition of celebration to fit what Islam has taught us. Continuing the deeds of Ramadan, we must remember Allah and His creation; we must work hard to create peace where dark forces seek to create war.
May Allah enable us to do so. Amin and Eid Mubarak!