The word Eid ul Fitr brings a smile to every Muslim face in the hindmost few days of the blessed month of Ramadan. Most of us are busy decorating our houses, ordering special outfits for Eid, and more. Eid ul Fitr is generally a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate after a month of abstinence from food and drink during daylight hours. Children collect Eidi from their elders and play out with their friends. People go to their relatives and friends and enjoy festive meals. Where it spreads out smiles, merriment and gaiety, there are also Sunnahs of the Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) to be followed.
The prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) would not sleep on the night proceeding the day of Eid and spend the whole night in worship. It is called the Night of Rewards and is said to be one of the most sacred nights. He (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) said, ”There are five nights on which dua is not rejected: the first night of Rajab, the fifteenth of Shaban, Thursday night, the night proceeding Eid ul Fitr and the night proceeding Eid ul Adha.”
After this blessed month, it is a golden opportunity to repent over our misdemeanours and peccadillos accrued in the month unintentionally and ask for approval of our good deeds throughout this month and pray for our needs and desires to be fulfilled.
The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) would have a bath, wear new clothes and apply attar. Eating something sweet is also a sunnah as The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) would not attend Eid ul Fitr’s prayer until he had eaten some dates, of which he would eat an odd number. The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) would vary his route on the day of Eid, i.e., he would go to perform Salah via one way and come back via a different way.
For most people and families, the celebrations of Eid ul Fitr are centred around food, with tables laden with their favourite dishes. However, it is essential to remember that there are families across the globe who do not have much to eat even on Eid. For this reason, Muslims are required to pay Zakat al Fitr (Fitrana) before the time of Eid, as it is due on this day. It is an obligation of every Muslim who has food over their needs. The Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) enjoined that it should be given before the Eid prayer. You may pay it a few days before Eid, mentioned in this hadith, narrated by Bukhari: “They used to pay it one or two days before Eid ul-Fitr.” If it is paid after the prayer, it is not counted as Sadaqat ul Fitr, as Ibn.e.Abbas (Rz) reported:
“The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) ordained zakat al-Fitr to purify the fasting person from indelicate words or actions and provide food for the needy. It is accepted as zakat for the person who gives it before the Eid prayer, but it is a mere sadaqah for the one who gives it after the prayer.” (Hadith, Abu Dawud and Ibn.e.Majah).
It is haraam to delay Zakat al-Fitr until after the Eid prayer. If one dawdles it with no excuse, then it is not acceptable as zakah: if there is an excuse, such as if a person is travelling and does not have anything to give or anyone to give it to, or he is expecting his family to pay it whereas, the family is expecting him to pay it, then, in this case, he should pay it when it is easy for him to do so, even if that is after the prayer, and there is no sin on him because he has an excuse.
I pray to Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala to grant us the ability to follow the sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallahu-Alayhi wa Sallam) in every aspect of our lives. Aameen.
HAPPY EID UL FITR
Writer: Ibadullah Paracha
