Transcript Eid ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)

Eid ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid)
Project Submitted By :Sayeda Zareen Shuttari
Contents
• 1 About Islam
• 2 About Ramzan Eid
• 3 Timing
• 4 Eid ul-Fitr in India
1 About Islam
• The word ISLAM is derived from the Arabic root word
SALAAM, which means PEACE. The literal meaning of ISLAM
is submission to Allah. (Allah is the Arabic name for God.)
2 About Ramzan Eid

Coming with the new moon, the festival marks the end of
'Ramadan' - a month when Muslims fast throughout the day and eat
only at night Prayers, feasts and family get- together are the major
highlights of the celebrations. It was during this month that the holy
Koran was revealed. Eid means recurring happiness or festivity. Eid
is celebrated in India with much enthusiasm and fervor and Muslims
from all strata of life can be seen adorned in beautiful new clothes,
visiting the mosques to attend Salatul Eid (Eid prayers). Greetings of
"Eid-Mubarak" or "a blessed Eid" are exchanged.
• The secondary objective of fasting is a way of experiencing hunger
and developing compassion for the less fortunate, and learn to be
thankful and appreciative for all of God's bounties. Fasting is also
advantageous to the health and provides a break in the cycle of
rigid habits.
• Eid Al Fitr is a day of joy and thanksgiving. On this day, Muslims
show their joy for the health, strength and opportunities of life,
which Allah has given them to fulfill their obligations of fasting and
other good deeds during the month of Ramadan. It is considered
unholy to fast on this day. It is also a day of forgetting old grudges
and ill feelings towards other fellow men. The second important Eid
celebration is called "Eid Al-Adha".

A very important aspect of eid is the charity, which all the
Muslims are expected to extend to the needy. Earlier, this was in the
form of gifts in kind but now cash is given to the needy. The first Eid
of the year is known as "Eid Al Fitr". Al Fitr literally means breaking
of fast. Thus Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the
tenth month in the Muslim calendar, to mark the end of a month
long fast during the month of Ramadan. As the third "pillar" or
religious obligation of Islam, fasting has many special benefits.
Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning
self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of
bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of
ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a
means of coming closer to Allah. Ramadan is also a time of
concentrated worship, reading of the Quran, purifying one's
behavior, giving charity and doing virtuous deeds.
• Although only the pilgrims in Makkah can participate in the Hajj
fully, all the other Muslims in the world join with them by celebrating
Eid Al-Adha, or "Celebration of Sacrifice." On the 10th day of DhulHijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the
world celebrate this feast of commitment, obedience and selfsacrifice to Allah. They wear their nicest clothing and attend SalatulEid (Eid Prayer) in the morning. This is followed by a short sermon,
after which everyone socializes. Next, people visit each other's
homes and partake in festive meals with special dishes, beverages,
and desserts. Children receive gifts and sweets on this happy
occasion. In addition, like the pilgrims in Makkah, the Muslims, who
can afford to do so, offer domestic animals, usually sheep, as a
symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The meat is distributed for
consumption to family, friends, and to the poor and needy. Prayers
are offered in mosques and Idgahs and elaborate festivities are
held.
3 Timing
• The holiday follows the month of Ramadan, falling on the first day
of Shawwal (the tenth month in the Islamic calendar). As with all
months in the Islamic calendar, it begins with the sighting of the
new moon, although some people choose to use scientific
calculations instead of a confirmed visual sighting.
• Because the day depends on the sighting of the moon, the sighting
could only be possible just before the sunset. Most check with local
mosques or other members of the community to see if the moon
has been sighted by authoritative parties. In Malaysia, they are
using both sighting of the moon and astronomical calculation to
verify the date. But the calculation is only used to verify the sighting
of the moon (i.e. the exact time of the visibility of the moon). For
this reason there may be regional differences in the exact date of
Eid, with some Muslims fasting for 29 days and some for 30 days.
• Eid ul-Fitr commemorates the end of the month of Ramadan.
Fasting is forbidden on this day as it marks the end of the monthlong fast of Ramadan. A Muslim is encouraged to rise early and
partake of a light snack such as dates before then attending
morning prayers with family members in the local community
mosque.
4 Eid ul-Fitr in India
• After the Holy month of Ramadan, in which the Muslims are asked to
observe fast and do extra prayers and observe religious values rigidly, the
Muslims celebrate the sighting of the new moon (start of the new Muslim
month) by going to bazaars and shopping malls, with their families and
children, for Eid shopping. In India and Pakistan, the night before Eid is
called Chand Raat, or night of the moon. Women, especially young girls,
often paint each others' hands with traditional "henna" also called
"mehendi" and wear colourful bangles.
• On the morning of Eid ul-Fitr, every Muslim is required to wear new
clothes, if they can afford them, otherwise wear washed clothes,
have a fresh bath and go to mosque for special Eid prayers,
thanking God for the health enabling a Muslim to observe fast and
enjoy the blessings of God Almighty during the holy month of
Ramadan. The Muslims are ordained to pay Zakat al-Fitr (special
charity money) to the poor and needy before the Eid prayer, so that
they can also join other Muslims to celebrate the happiness of Eid.
• After the prayers, the congregation is dispersed and the Muslims
meet and greet each other, family members, children, elders, friends
and others.
• Some Muslims especially go to graveyards to pray for the departed
and convey their salam (peace). Usually, children visit their parents
and other family elders to pay respects and greet.
• Special arrangements are made for the family/friends to visit each
other to greet on this special occasion. They even exchange gifts,
pay charity to needy and enjoy.
• One of the special dishes in India Pakistan and Fiji is savayya, a dish
of fine, toasted vermicelli noodles [4]. Elder family members give
eidi (small amount of money or gifts) to children. After meeting
friends and relatives, some people go for joyous parties, feasts,
special carnivals and parks (with picnics, fireworks, etc.). In
Pakistan, many bazaars, malls, and restaurants get crowded with
people.
• Some people also avail this opportunity to distribute Zakat, the
obligatory tax on ones wealth, to the needy.
• In this way, the Muslims celebrate their Eid ul-Fitr by thanking God
Almighty and bringing their family, friends and the poor and needy
closer together.