Abdul Muqit Chowdhury :
Iftar Mahfil has become a tradition in the Holy Ramzan. Such gathering, if it is a positive approach to contribute to fraternal relation in the society, is surely acceptable. To share the joy of fasting irrespective of social status and class is praiseworthy.
This reflects allegiance to the Islamic code of conduct. It contributes to spread the beauty of Islam — its humanistic ideal.
But, in some cases, it has been observed that Iftar Mahfil has become a show of pomp and splendour of the organisers. Arrangement of huge quantity of food seems to be more than the necessity. This results in extravagance. To show one’s piousness, in other words, to show one’s capacity of entertaining many people becomes a matter of demonstration. In Islamic terminology, this sort of presentation of religious activity is ‘ria’ showing one’s piousness. Extravagance and demonstration of religious mentality — both are prohibited in Islam and these decrease the merit and virtue of fasting.
It becomes a matter of contradiction that the related wealthy section of the society is heavily entertrained, while the needy poor people are given little share. Even some charity is made from the wastage! And at last huge wastage remains.
The Holy Quran reveals : “O children of Adam!/Wear your beautiful apparel /At every time and place/Of prayer: eat and drink:/But waste not by excess,/ For God loveth not the wasters.” (Sura Al-‘Araf 7 : 31)
Allama Yusuf Ali comments : ” ….Similarly sober food, good and wholesome, is not to be divorced from offices of religion ; only the caution against excess applies strictly.”
The Holy Quran reveals, “Verily spendthrifts are brothers/ Of the Evil Ones / And the Evil One/ Is to his Lord (Himself)/ Ungrateful.” (Sura Bani Israil 17:27)
Allama Yusuf Ali comments: “Spendthrifts are not merely fools. They are of the same family as the Evil Ones. And the chief of the Evil Ones (notice the transition from the plural to the singular) –Satan himself –fell by his ingratitude to God. So those who misuse or squander God’s gifts are also ungrateful to God.”
“And render to the kindred/Their due rights, as (also)/To those in want/And to the wayfarer :/But squander not (your wealth)/In the manner of a spendthrift.” (Sura Bani Israil 17:26)
Allama Yusuf Ali: “All charity, kindness, and help are conditioned by our own resources. There is no merit if we merely spend out of bravado or for idle show. How many families are ruined by extravagant expenses at weddings, funerals etc. or (as they may call it) to ‘oblige friends or relatives’, or to give to able- bodied beggars ? To no one was this command more necessary than it is to Muslims of the present day.”
“And follow not the bidding/Of those who are extravagant, –” (Sura Shu’ara 26:151)
Allama Yusuf Ali: “They are told : All your skill is very well ; but cultivate virtue and do not follow the ways of those who put forward extravagant claims for men’s powers and material resources, or who lead lives of extravagance in luxury and self-indulgence ; that makes mischief ; but the door of repentances is open : Will you repent ?”
The verses and the comments make it clear that extravagance is a great deviation from the spirit of human welfare. Such programmes, where the distressed people are neglected and not entertained with dignity, does not represent Islamic character.
The organisers of Iftar Mahfils may please review their arrangement to shape the programmes with clean Islamic image. It depends on how and to what extent they curtail extravagance and entertain the wealthy section and the poor people with equal status and dignity. And more, they should avoid any inclination to ‘ria’.
Iftary should be planned on the basis of actual necessity and if the arrangement is a feast, it should entertain the poor, needy equally with others, which Islam stresses. Then the whole programme will contribute as complementary to the unique virtue of fasting in the blessed days and nights of Holy Ramzan.
Honest and sincere approach is the best way to be pious and at the same time acceptable in the society.
Iftar Mahfil has become a tradition in the Holy Ramzan. Such gathering, if it is a positive approach to contribute to fraternal relation in the society, is surely acceptable. To share the joy of fasting irrespective of social status and class is praiseworthy.
This reflects allegiance to the Islamic code of conduct. It contributes to spread the beauty of Islam — its humanistic ideal.
But, in some cases, it has been observed that Iftar Mahfil has become a show of pomp and splendour of the organisers. Arrangement of huge quantity of food seems to be more than the necessity. This results in extravagance. To show one’s piousness, in other words, to show one’s capacity of entertaining many people becomes a matter of demonstration. In Islamic terminology, this sort of presentation of religious activity is ‘ria’ showing one’s piousness. Extravagance and demonstration of religious mentality — both are prohibited in Islam and these decrease the merit and virtue of fasting.
It becomes a matter of contradiction that the related wealthy section of the society is heavily entertrained, while the needy poor people are given little share. Even some charity is made from the wastage! And at last huge wastage remains.
The Holy Quran reveals : “O children of Adam!/Wear your beautiful apparel /At every time and place/Of prayer: eat and drink:/But waste not by excess,/ For God loveth not the wasters.” (Sura Al-‘Araf 7 : 31)
Allama Yusuf Ali comments : ” ….Similarly sober food, good and wholesome, is not to be divorced from offices of religion ; only the caution against excess applies strictly.”
The Holy Quran reveals, “Verily spendthrifts are brothers/ Of the Evil Ones / And the Evil One/ Is to his Lord (Himself)/ Ungrateful.” (Sura Bani Israil 17:27)
Allama Yusuf Ali comments: “Spendthrifts are not merely fools. They are of the same family as the Evil Ones. And the chief of the Evil Ones (notice the transition from the plural to the singular) –Satan himself –fell by his ingratitude to God. So those who misuse or squander God’s gifts are also ungrateful to God.”
“And render to the kindred/Their due rights, as (also)/To those in want/And to the wayfarer :/But squander not (your wealth)/In the manner of a spendthrift.” (Sura Bani Israil 17:26)
Allama Yusuf Ali: “All charity, kindness, and help are conditioned by our own resources. There is no merit if we merely spend out of bravado or for idle show. How many families are ruined by extravagant expenses at weddings, funerals etc. or (as they may call it) to ‘oblige friends or relatives’, or to give to able- bodied beggars ? To no one was this command more necessary than it is to Muslims of the present day.”
“And follow not the bidding/Of those who are extravagant, –” (Sura Shu’ara 26:151)
Allama Yusuf Ali: “They are told : All your skill is very well ; but cultivate virtue and do not follow the ways of those who put forward extravagant claims for men’s powers and material resources, or who lead lives of extravagance in luxury and self-indulgence ; that makes mischief ; but the door of repentances is open : Will you repent ?”
The verses and the comments make it clear that extravagance is a great deviation from the spirit of human welfare. Such programmes, where the distressed people are neglected and not entertained with dignity, does not represent Islamic character.
The organisers of Iftar Mahfils may please review their arrangement to shape the programmes with clean Islamic image. It depends on how and to what extent they curtail extravagance and entertain the wealthy section and the poor people with equal status and dignity. And more, they should avoid any inclination to ‘ria’.
Iftary should be planned on the basis of actual necessity and if the arrangement is a feast, it should entertain the poor, needy equally with others, which Islam stresses. Then the whole programme will contribute as complementary to the unique virtue of fasting in the blessed days and nights of Holy Ramzan.
Honest and sincere approach is the best way to be pious and at the same time acceptable in the society.
