Abdul Muqit Chowdhury :
The night preceding Holy Eid-ul-Fitr has a special grace and significance. It is the night to be ready to welcome Eid-ul-Fitr-the festival of joy. ‘Eid-night’ is the preparatory night for receiving the Eid as ordained by Allah Rabbul Aalameen. Offering gratitude to Allah, paying Sadaqatul Fitr and two raka’at Eid
congregational prayer, entertaining relatives, friends and giving alms to the needy are rituals and customs of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) said, “He who passes the nights of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha through prayers will never waiver or be afraid of the Day of Judgement while others will tremble and quiver on that Fateful Day.”
The month of Ramzan trains us to attain ‘Taqwa’, avoid evils and do virtuous deeds according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah. We should firmly pledge to follow these in our everyday life throughout the year. The joy of Eid presupposes this submission or commitment from us unconditionally.
So, it calls for our voluntary readiness to accept the Day with all its rituals, injunctions, spirit and message. We should seek forgiveness from Allah for our known and unknown faults relating to the observance of month-long fasting of Ramzan.
The Holy Quran and Sunnah commands us to respond to the distress of the crying humanity. The Holy Quran say : “And why should ye not/Fight in the cause of Allah/And of those who, being weak.,/ And ill-treated (and oppressed)?/Men, women, and children,/Whose cry is : Our Lord!/Rescue us from this town,/Whose people are oppressors;/ And raise for us from Thee/One who will protect;/And raise for us from Thee /One who will help!”[(Sura Nisa 4:75 The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an by Moulana Abdullah Yusuf Ali)]
Let the Eid-ul-Fitr remind us of our great responsibility towards the suffering humanity. Let Almighty Allah help the Ummah by His infinite Mercy, Forgiveness and Grace.
Eid Mubarak!
Pay Sadaqatul
Fitr, share joy
Sadaqatul Fitr is popularly known as ‘Fitra.’ The Arabic word ‘Fitr’ means ‘to break’. ‘Sadaqatul Fitr’ is the charity paid at the time of breaking of fasting before going to Eid Zamat. It marks the end of Ramzan and the beginning of the observance of Eid-ul-Fitr. ‘Fitra’ is obligatory for any person who is matured, conscious, sane and financially able to pay it. It is to be paid for a person and his dependants.
It should be given to such poor people, whose income is not enough to meet his/her family expenses. It is to be paid to the needy, who is helpless and indigent.
Fitra is a means of symbolic co-operation extended to the poor and the needy to enable them to participate in the joys of the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. The Quran and the Sunnah proclaim the right of the poor in the wealth of the solvent and the rich. It reminds us of our economic obligation to the destitute not only for a particular day, but also for the whole year.
Rasulullah (Sm) said, “Make such charity in the Day of Eid so that the poor people become solvent and there remains no need for them to seek alms from anyone”. (Abu Daud Sharif)
Rasulullah (Sm) described the ‘Sadaqatul Fitr’ as ‘Kaffarah’ of the faults/deficiencies of fasting.
The Fitra must be paid or at least set aside before one offers the Eid prayers. Ibne Umar (Ra) narrated : “Rasulullah (Sm) has directed us to pay the Sadaqatul Fitr before going out to offer Eid prayer.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Daud and Nasayee Sharif)
It is obligatory on every person, who is Saheb-e-nisab. The low income people, who are not so solvent, should also pay this minor compulsory charity.
Rasulullah (Sm) directed about Fitra in the word : “Pay”. So it may be taken as wajib (next to farz-obligation). According to Imam Abu Hanifa (R) it is wajib, while Imam Shafi (R) and Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal (R) took it as obligatory and Imam Malik (R) as sunnat-e-muakkadah (next to wajib).
The needy, and the poor, who are entitled to receive Zakat, are also entitled to Fitra.
According to injunctions of Shariah minimum 1.34 kg wheat or price equal to it, should be given to the poor and the insolvents. But the persons who are economically more solvent can give the Fitra more.
