جمعه: 1403/01/10
Printer-friendly versionSend by email
Eid – ul – Fitr

Eid – ul – Fitr

 

"اسئلك بحق ھذا الیوم الذی جعلته للمسلمین عیدا"

“I beseech you in the name of this day, which You have decided to be feast for the Muslims”.

          On the day of Eid – ul – Fitr, Muslims from all around the world experience a sense of pride, honour and dignity as they have successfully completed the month of Ramadan and benefitted from its spiritual and nurturing bounties.

          They thank Allah for having attended and passed one of the greatest educational classes of Islam within the span of one month, and utilized the lessons taught to them as per their potential and preparation, which they have dissolved in their souls and spirit, and registered on the tablets of their hearts and consciences.

          On this day, the Muslims return victoriously from a sensitive and dangerous Jihad – in which the champions, victors and world heavyweights have faced defeat.

          This Jihad is the Jihad against one’s own self; Jihad against the inclinations and animalistic desires and tastes.

          Keeping one’s self from the pleasures of lust, protecting it from eating delicious foods and sweet drinks, refraining from gloating and satanic lusts and lures, from lies, back-biting, anger and fury, bad habits and behaviour, arrogance, love of position; and distancing from all other sins and wrongdoings in this field of Jihad, is victory and success.

          All these deeds are Jihad and in fact the “greater Jihad” which was described by the holy Prophet (peace be upon Him and His Progeny) for the group of companions who had gone for Jihad and fought against the enemies with swords and weapons, and shown their power and strength, saying:

"مرحباً بقوم قضوا الجھاد الاصغر و بقی علیھم الجھاد الاکبر"[1]

“Welcoming the people returning from smaller Jihad while the greater Jihad remains for them”.

          “The Greater Jihad” which cannot be performed by anyone except the faithful people, the men and women nurtured in the arms of Islam; these are the ones who can gain pride in the battlefield.

          It is a battlefield in which the powerful warriors, lovers of worldly wealth and status, lust-worshipers, blood-shedding executioners, the ambitious conquerors of nations, the proud youths, the leopard-like furious men, merciless transgressors, the assassins and butchers of history, the lustful women, the impure virgins and the worshippers of the material things, will lay defeated on the surface of earth; and they are incapable of gaining pride and participate in these competitions.

          A battlefield in which the faithful men and women, the divine worshippers, the humble, pure-hearted, pious, forbearing and non-attending towards worldly riches wears the uniform of a warrior, with firm will and high determination, defeats the opponent; thus becoming victorious in these competitions with pride.

          Indeed, battle against the desires of one’s self is easy, while it is difficult. It is easy because the pure conscience and nature of human beings, their intellect and wisdom, understand the well-being and its obligation. And if a man steps in this field, as he moves forwards, he will become more and more successful; until he overcomes and humiliates his disobeying self and the satanic troops, and helps dominate the heavenly, intellectual and the faculties of conscience over his body.

          One the other hand, this act is difficult; because Jihad against self is the steadfastness in front of various desires and the endeavour for its control and management. The cognition of the satanic traps and the hidden lustful desires is not possible for everyone. Controlling the misleading self and ignoring the desires of sensual gratification, and the thousand extensive and unruly carnal demands, cannot be done in this haste. And this domestic enemy gains awareness and manages connection with the desires which assist human beings in repelling the external enemies, and seeks help and assistance from it.

          From these aspects, fighting against the self is an extremely difficult act and successful is someone who can moderate his self, and forcibly manage it in the proper way.

          The holy month of Ramadan, is the month of fighting against the self; and the school of moderation and reformation of desires, demands and exhibition of the willpower and the psychological capabilities; and now, it is the opportunity of conducting the ritual of a great and virtuous Eid, it is the Islamic Eid which is the Eid for everyone and all the common classes and individuals.

 

[1] Bihar ul Anwar, v. 19, Hadith 182

Friday / 29 March / 2024