Is Eid cancelled this year?

Many Imams and khatībs are wondering, what is our Eid message this year? How can we celebrate while our brothers and sisters are being subjected to a holocaust that scholars have been calling a “textbook genocide”? [1]

There are a few important points to bear in mind here.

Eid is not a worldly celebration

The purpose of the celebration of Eid is to celebrate the opportunity that Allah (‘azza wa jal) gave us throughout Ramadan to draw closer to Him through siyām (fasting), qiyām (night prayers), du’ā (supplication), dhikr (remembrance), and sadaqa (voluntary charity).

Through the Eid celebration, we are commemorating the great ni’mah (blessing) of ‘ibādah (worship).

We are not celebrating the end of Ramadan or indulging in the Dunya. This is the meaning of the verse in Surat al-Baqarah where, after legislating fasting, Allah commands us to declare His greatness and to be grateful.

وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“…so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.” [2]

Eid is a symbol of Islam 

Eid is one of the great symbols (sha’āīrah) of Islam — it needs to be celebrated and promoted openly in society.

That is why the Prophet ﷺ would perform the Eid prayer in an open area, and commanded us to take different routes there and back, while wearing our best clothes and making takbīr.

Allah (subḥānahu wa ta’āla) says,

ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

“That is so. And whoever honours the symbols of Allah — indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.” [3]

Our definition of “celebration” is from the Sunnah 

By celebrating Eid, we are practising the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

During the life of the Prophet ﷺ, he faced many serious challenges and wars but he always celebrated Eid.

The definition of celebration is that which is given in the Sunnah:

1. To be thankful to Allah and feel happy that He has given you an opportunity to glorify and worship Him.
2. To ensure your Zakat al-Fitr is distributed before the Eid prayer.
3. To make loud takbīr from the time Eid is announced to the beginning of the Eid prayer.
4. To establish and attend the Eid prayer.
5. For everyone to bathe and wear good clothes, and for men to wear perfume in public.
6. To spend more upon your family.

That is why Gazans themselves will celebrate Eid

Despite the atrocities they have suffered over the last six months — since this latest genocidal war began — Gaza will still be celebrating Eid, inshāAllah, for these reasons.

Much like their worship amongst the rubble throughout Ramadan, their Eid is a display of strength and solidarity in the face of their occupiers. It shows that the Ummah is still in a good state.

And it only increases their fanatical enemies in rage and jealousy, that we submit to God and not the Zionists. As the saying goes: when you laugh, you spoil your enemy’s victory.

What is our message for Eid this year?

For the Eid khutbah, I suggest the following as a reminder to our communities across the world.

Thank Allah for guiding us to Islam

We celebrate Eid to thank Allah (jalla wa ʿālā) for guiding us to this great Dīn.

This is the only way of life, the only system, the only civilisation which is based upon pure submission to God, with the glorification, love, hope, and fear of God.

Allah (subḥānahu wa ta’āla) says,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“I did not create jinn and humans, except to worship Me.” [4]

He (‘azza wa jal) further says,

وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ

“Even though they were only commanded to worship Allah alone with sincere devotion to Him in all uprightness, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax. That is the upright Way.” [5]

The Dīn of Islam is built upon the five great pillars.

These pillars of worship, when established correctly, will reform our lives and the entire society around us. Islamic civilisations that lasted for over a millennium — and were the most advanced civilisations of their time — were built upon these five pillars.

Indeed, the entire life of the Muslim should revolve around ‘ibādah. But beyond the specific ritual acts of worship, Islam also came to perfect the morality, ethics, and conduct of humanity — i.e. akhlāq.

The Prophet ﷺ said,

إنما بُعِثْتُ لأُتَمِّمَ مكارمَ الأخلاقِ

“I was only sent to perfect good character.” [6]

The most important element of akhlāq is to establish justice.

Allah (jalla wa ʿālā) says,

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا ٱلْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌۭ

“Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and with them We sent down the Scripture and the balance [of justice] so that people may administer justice.

“And We sent down iron with its great might, benefits for humanity, and means for Allah to prove who [is willing to] stand up for Him and His messengers without seeing Him.

“Surely, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.” [7]

Allah (subḥānahu wa ta’āla) has singled out this Final Ummah as the Ummah of Justice:

۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًۭا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا

“O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives.

“Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate [from justice].

“If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then [know that] Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.” [8]

Islam has also prohibited us from indecency in actions, statements, and even feelings. And the greatest form of indecency is shirk and kufr — to associate partners with Allah (jalla wa ʿālā).

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلْإِثْمَ وَٱلْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden open and secret indecencies, sinfulness, unjust aggression, associating [others] with Allah [in worship] — a practice He has never authorised — and attributing to Allah what you do not know.’” [9]

Allah wants us to be the leading nation

Allah (jalla wa ʿālā) selected you as the best of nations for mankind:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ

“You are the best community ever raised for humanity — you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah.

“Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious.” [10]

The recent genocide in Gaza has again proven to the world that it is in dire need of this.

The global elite are acting in a brutal, inhumane, and unjust manner, motivated by self-interest. They have no akhlāq. We have to recognise our responsibility as the only nation that submits to God and has a sense of right and wrong that is tethered; i.e. not one that is based upon self-interest, tribal/nationalistic affiliations, or popularity.

It is precisely because this Ummah is anchored, that it is committed to promoting every form of good and forbidding every type of evil — even if it is against our own personal material interests.

The world is looking for an alternative to the current unjust global system, and we have a grave duty to share our Dīn with the whole world. We also have a heavy obligation to show Islam as an alternative that will provide humanity with justice and fairness once again.

This means that the Muslim Ummah needs to take this responsibility seriously and be more active in da’wah and activism of all kinds, whilst being careful not to get distracted with minor squabbles that detract from this priority.

Gaza is fighting for the whole world

We continue to ask Allah (subḥānahu wa ta’āla) to support the people of Gaza.

They are not just fighting to defend themselves against the racist, murderous ideology of Zionism; they are fighting on behalf of the entire world and all those who want to see it free from the legacy of colonisation, racism, genocide, and any other type of injustice.

Advice to all Muslims

I conclude with some advice to all Muslims, to act as a road-map for the empowerment of the Ummah to discharge its responsibility.

Hold firm to your Dīn

Continue the legacy of good deeds which you started in Ramadan.

Your connection to the Qur’ān, your devotion to salat, du’ā, and dhikr, and your commitment to sadaqa all need to continue.

Do not find yourself back at the same level that you were at before Ramadan. There must be a long-term improvement.

Be united

The Muslim Ummah needs to be united now more than ever before.

Allah (jalla wa ʿālā) commands us in the Qur’ān,

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

“And hold firmly together to the rope of Allah and do not be divided.

“Remember Allah’s favour upon you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so you — by His grace — became brothers.

“And you were at the brink of a fiery pit and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be [rightly] guided.” [11]

Be more active

Be more active in da’wah — the whole world is looking for solutions that can be found in our Dīn and we have the attention of the world right now.

Empower strategically

Seek empowerment of the Ummah in key areas of strategic importance.

We have to be more effective in politics, media, economics, education, and law.

The challenges that face the Ummah are great and we need to express our values and principles through all of these key fields.

The upcoming elections are an example

Use the coming elections to show that your vote matters and demand political leadership that represents us.

Make sure you register to vote, consult with your local community, and work with The Muslim Vote initiative to ensure our elected officials represent us.

In conclusion

We need to remind our Ummah to be optimistic, as this is what the Sharī’ah is teaching us.

It is the practice of the Prophet ﷺ to nurture a victorious and optimistic mentality at all times. This is indeed a manifestation of having Husn al-Dhann (to think positively) of Allah (jalla wa ʿālā), which we are commanded to have all the time.

What we see before us proves that the Ummah is moving towards more and more successes and victories. The increasing visibility and signs of people observing the rights of Ramadan and other symbols of the Dīn is a testimony to that.

Source: Islam21c

Notes

[1] https://www.democracynow.org/2023/10/16/raz_segal_textbook_case_of_genocide

[2] al-Qur’ān, 2:185

[3] al-Qur’ān, 22:32

[4] al-Qur’ān, 51:56

[5] al-Qur’ān, 98:5

[6] Recorded by al-Bayhaqī, Ahmad, and others; https://sunnah.com/urn/2302710

[7] al-Qur’ān, 57:25

[8] al-Qur’ān, 4:135

[9] al-Qur’ān, 7:33

[10] al-Qur’ān, 3:110

[11] al-Qur’ān, 3:103