Eid ul Fitr 2015 and End of Ramadan

Attention! Eid ul Fitr 2015 most likely will be celebrated on Friday, 17^th July 2015 in most parts of the world. In such a case:

Vilnius city. Eid ul Fitr prayer will be on 17^th July 2015 at 7:00 a.m. in the muftiate, address Smolensko g. 19

Kaunas city. Eid ul Fitr prayer will be on 17^th July 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in the mosque, address Totoriu g. 6

Forty Tatars’ village (Vilniaus area). Eid ul Fitr prayer will be on 17^th July 2015 at 8:00 a.m. in the mosque.

Nemezis village (Vilniaus area). Eid ul Fitr prayer will be on 17^th July 2015 at 8:00 a.m. in the mosque, address Totoriu g. 4

in sha Allah.

If you are from another city, please contact your local Islamic center or masjeed for the time celebration of Eid. We will also update information about the times of the prayers in other cities of Lithuania when we get this information.

Also in case Eid ul Fitr happens on Friday, 17^th July 2015, the following information should be reminded: Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Two `Eids (festival days) have occurred together on this day of yours. Whosoever desires, this (`Eid) will suffice for his Friday Prayer, but we are going to perform the Friday Prayer.” (Related by Ibn Majah). Al-Busiry said: “Its Isnad is sound and its narrators are trustworthy.” This means that if the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with the imaam does not have to attend Jumu’ah (it is not obligatory on him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu’ah, he has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam. As for the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu’ah and lead those Muslims who attend the prayer.

About Eid ul Fitr

The first day of the month following Ramadan is Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of fast-breaking.  Very likely, in the last few days of Ramadan, your mosque will also start collecting obligatory post-Ramadan food (or money) due for the poor Muslims called  Zakat al-Fitr (fast-breaking obligatory charity).

Zakat al-Fitr

One of the companions of the Prophet said,

“Messenger of Allah made Zakat al-Fitr obligatory to purify the fasting person from indecent words or actions, and to provide food for the needy.  It is accepted as Zakatfor the person who gives it before the Eid prayer, but it is mere charity (like any other) for the one who gives it after the prayer.”[1]

We learn three matters regarding Zakat al-Fitr:

(a)   It purifies the person who fasted Ramadan and cleanses him of indecent talk and minor sins performed during Ramadan.

(b)  This Eid is a day of eating and drinking, as the month prior to it was one of fasting. Zakat al-Fitr ensures that even the poorest of Muslims will partake in this outward show of festivity..

(c)   Paying Zakat al-Fitr is required of every Muslim capable of giving for himself and on behalf of every family member under his care.

The Quantity of Food

The quantity of food to be given out per person is roughly equal to four handfuls of the two hands held together.  Its weight will be different for different foodstuffs.  It is allowed to give money to a charity organization or mosque so that they buy the foodstuff and distribute it to the poor on your behalf, and that is why many mosques will offer to collect its dollar equivalent from you instead.  You also have the option of giving the food stuff to the mosque or charity organization, paying them to take care of distributing Zakat al-Fitr on your behalf, or you can give it out on your own.

The Type of Food

The staple food of the people in your area may be given.  Dates, barley, wheat, olives, raisins, wheat, and dried yogurt used to be commonly eaten food in the time of the Prophet.  Today, pasta, rice, beans, potatoes, cheese, and similar foods are more common.

The Best Time to Give It

The best time for it to be given out starts from the eve of Eid until right before going to the prayer.

Permissible Time to Give It

You may offer it one or two days before Eid.

Delaying it after Eid Prayer

It is a sin to delay it after Eid prayer.

Who to Give It To?

It is given to a fellow Muslim with limited financial means, but not necessarily in complete poverty.

Eid al-Fitr

“Eid” means a day of social gathering.  In Islam there are only three festivals:

(a)   The yearly Eid al-Fitr

(b)  The yearly Eid al-‘Adha

(c)   The weekly Friday.

Eid al-Fitr is a major festivity for the Muslims, a time for gratitude to Allah, family bonding, fun, and merriment.  On this day people greet one another and visit relatives and friends. Elaborate dishes are prepared, new clothes are worn, presents are exchanged, and children have fun.

The following are some recommended acts to be performed on Eid:

1. a) Ghusl or bathing early in the day before the Eid prayer.
2. b) Beautifying oneself: The Prophet used to wear his best clothes to go to the Eid He had a cloak that he wore specifically on the two Eids and Friday.
3. c) Eating something in the morning: Allah’s Messenger would not leave his house on the day of Fitr until he had eaten some dates.[2]
4. d) Saying Takbeer is a distinctive feature of Eid and is mentioned in the Quran:

“…And that you should exclaim Allah’s greatness for having guided you, so that you may be grateful.” (Quran 2:185)

When?

The time for Eid takbeer’s starts from the time a person leaves his house heading towards the prayer-hall.  The Prophet, may Allah praise him, would leave his house on the day of Eid saying takbeer until he had performed the prayer.  He would stop saying thetakbeer after the prayer.

What to Say?

There are various authentic narrations about what should be said in the takbeer. For brevity, we will mention the one which is most common.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akar, La ilaha ill-Allah, w’Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahil-Hamd.[3]

The Eid Prayer

Islam teaches us how to celebrate these occasions of joy.  Their spirit is to remember God’s gifts in our everyday life; that is why the major part of the celebration is a public prayer.  The Eid prayer is composed of two rak’at, with some additions.  The prayer leader will describe the method of Eid prayer.  After the prayer he will deliver the Eid sermon, typically lasting for half an hour.

Afterwards, people will greet each other saying ‘Taqabbal-Allahu Mini wa Minkum,’[4]‘Kulla aam wa antum bi-khayr,’[5] ‘Eid mubarak,’[6] or simply ‘Happy Eid.’

I will encourage you to take some time off from school or work to celebrate Eid with fellow Muslims.  As you grow spiritually in years to come, developing friendships, and hopefully, raising a happy Muslim family, Eid will surely become a meaningful family festival, in which all come together and praise God for the gift of Guidance.

Source : newmuslims.com