THE nation is set to celebrate EID-UL-FITR or the ‘Feast of Breaking the Fast, of the whole month of Ramzan on Saturday on sighting of the moon of Shawal. Preparations are afoot accordingly in the country if the month of Ramzan ends with 29 days of fasting. Eid is an important religious event for the Muslims and we share our joy and happiness with the people on this occasion wishing them heartiest celebration with friends and families. Muslims all over the world celebrate the event with festivities and offering of Eid prayers in big congregation. People distribute Zakat, which is a share of their wealth to the poor. It also teaches us equality between the rich and the poor. It is a day for feast and visiting friends after month long restricted life from temporal pleasure and day time eating. Eid-ul-Fitr leaves behind a month of fasting when people become purified exercising self-restraints in religious devotion seeking blessings of Allah. The day embodies the unity of the Muslim Ummah all over the world.
It goes without saying, Eid-ul-Fitr is the biggest Muslim festival in Bangladesh when people enjoy public holiday to attend festivities and visit families from cities to village homes. Schools and other higher educational institutions go on long vacation for celebration. People spend the entire year in breathless preoccupation in business and other activities and the arrival of Eid-ul-Fitr brings one of the few occasions to go to friends and relatives to endear them in inclusive celebrations. In a way the entire nation gets mobilized on this occasion.
Eid also reminds us to learn sacrifice. The rich must sacrifice for the poor and share Zakat as an informal tax on their wealth in which the poor have their legitimate claim. It is one of the five pillars of our faith and a good Muslim would always adhere to fulfil the obligation. Zakat has been treated in Islam as an effective instrument of poverty alleviation and estimates suggest it can alone ensure the most effective distributive justice of wealth and income in our society. But giving Zakat or helping the ones who need help can be an all the year round affair. The purpose is not to show off wealth.
Eid is an occasion of joy and sharing joy with others. We wish everybody a safe and happy Eid.
