Eid Festival

Essay No. 01

Eid is the most important festival of the Muslims. All over the world, the Muslims celebrate it with great pomp, show, enthusiasm and enjoyment. The Muslims observe fasts for a full month after sighting the moon of ‘Ramzan’. Ramzan is regarded as highly auspicious month. When the month of ‘Ramzan’ is over and the moon of Eid is sighted, they end their fasts. These fasts are known as, ‘Roza’. The next day, the festival of Eid is celebrated. However, every year Eid comes on the first day of the month of Shawwal. It is a day of cheerfulness, celebration and feasting.

Muslims strongly believes that fasting in the month of ‘Ramzan’ purifies their souls. Prayers after fasting save them from going to hell, after death. According to them fasting opens the doors of heaven. During the month of Ramzan’, they lead a pure and holy life. They observe fasts and offer regular prayers. Ceremonial prayers and feasts are part of the festival.

On the day of Eid, Muslims get up early in the morning. They take a bath and put on their best dresses. They visit mosques and offer prayers in the form of ‘Namaz’. They embrace one another and exchange Eid greetings. ‘Eid Mubarak’ is on the lips of every Muslim. Women prepare delicious sweetmeats at home. Vermicelli kheer is a popular sweat dish prepared in almost every Muslim house. Sweets are distributed and gifts are given to each other. Friends and relatives are invited to feasts. At some places, Eid fairs are also held where people celebrate the festival together.

In India, all Muslim communities celebrates Eid. Joys are doubled on Eid. The Hindus, Sikhs and Christians greet their Muslim brothers on this day. Thus, celebration of Eid promotes national integration and the feeling of goodwill and kindness. Eid also brings a message of unity, peace, friendship and understanding among all of us.

As Eid is a festival of love, it gives us a message of affection to all and hate none. It teaches us to embrace all men as brothers, irrespective of different social status. Separated loved ones hope to meet on this auspicious day. Eid urges us to say goodbye to hatred, jealousy and enmity and bring in a time of love, understanding, loyalty and companionship.

Essay No. 02

Eid Festival

Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zuha and Eid-i-Milad are the three festive occasions widely celebrated by Muslims in India.

Eid is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country and one can see Muslims of all age groups and from all strata of society attired in new clothes, visiting mosques to offer namaaz.

India is a country of rich culture and heritage. Besides Hinduism there are a large number of non’-Hindu festivals.

The Eid-ul-Azha commemorates the ordeal of Hazrat Ibrahim. He was put to a terrible test by God and was asked to sacrifice whatever was dearest to him. He decided to sacrifice the life of his son.

As he was on the point of applying the sword to his son’s throat, it was revealed to him that this was meant only to test his faith and it was enough if instead he sacrifices only a ram in the name of Allah.

This is celebrated on the Rioth day of Zilhijja, when the Haj celebrations at Mecca are rounded off by the sacrifice of goats or camels. In India, too, goats and sheep are sacrificed all over the country and prayers are offered. Coming with the new moon, this festival marks the end of Ramzan, the ninth month of the Muslim year. It was during this month that the holy Koran was revealed.

Muslims keep a fast every day during this month and on the completion of the period, which is decided by the appearance of the new moon, Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated with great eclat. Prayers are offered in mosques and Idgahs and elaborate festivities are held.

The Prophet was born on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Muslim year. His death anniversary- also falls on the same day, the word `barah’ standing for the twelve days of the Prophet’s sickness.

During these days, sermons are delivered in mosques by learned men, focusing on the life and noble deeds of the Prophet.

In some parts of the country, a ceremony known as sandal rite is performed over the symbolic footprints of the Prophet engraved in stone.

A representation of `buraq’, a horse on which the Prophet is believed to have ascended to heaven, is kept near the footprints and anointed with sandal paste or scented powder and the house and casket containing these are elaborately decorated.

Elegies or `marsiyas’ are sung in memory of the last days of the Prophet. The 12th day or the Urs proper is observed quietly, in prayers and alms giving.

Essay No. 03

Eid

Eid is a Muslim term which means festival. Muslims throughout the world celebrate three Eid’s during a year.

Ramzan is a month of fasting. It is a very strict fast which does not allow even a sip of water during the day. The fast is broken daily after sunset. After the month long fasting, on the day after the new /noon, Ramzan Eid is celebrated. This festival is formally termed as Eid-ul-Fitr.

Bakri Eid is celebrated in the memory of Hazrat Ismail’s sacrifice. This festival falls about two months and nine days after Eid-ul-Fitr. It is for this festival that Muslims who can afford, go on pilgrimage to Mecca. This pilgrimage is known as Haj. Mutton biriani is the main dish eaten on this day. This festival is formally known as Eid-ul-zuha.

The third Eid that is celebrated with great enthusiasm is Eid-i-milad. This day commemorates the birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammed.

Each Eid day starts with morning prayer of the mosques and Eidgahs. People wear new clothes. After the prayers they greet each other affectionately with `Eid Mubarak’. They eat Kheer, biriani, sewai, sheer khorma. They offer the same delicacies to guest who visits their homes on Eid days.