Farewell to Ramadan

The last day of the month of Ramadan is the day of sadness for all the Muslims, but the next days starts with much of happiness because of the Eid-ul-Fitr. It’s a day when all Lithuanian Muslims are gathering in their local mosques since the early morning for the special congregational prayer. This marks the end of this special month.

After Eid prayer and khutbah Muslims hurry to greet each other and wish a nice celebration, generous sadaqah is given, gifts are shared, especially to the small children – they often get many sweets and coins. All the day families are visiting their relatives, friends are visiting each other. It’s the day of joy for everyone.

This year Eid prayers were held in the mosques of Vilnius and region of Vilnius, Klaipeda, Kaunas and region of Alytus. On the same day festival “Id-ul-Fitr – Ramadan Bairam 2016/1437” was organized in the village of Keturiasdesimt Totoriu (region of Vilnius) for all the community of Lithuanian Muslims, adults and kids.

This festival started by the initiative of few Muslims volunteers from Vilnius and Kaunas. Later collective efforts were used and alhamdullilah with the support of private people and religious organizations, festival succeeded. By the help of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى  there gathered all Lithuanian Muslims – local Lithuanian Tatars, foreigners, who are studying or working in Lithuania, Lithuanian Muslims, who have been practicing Islam in Lithuania for a short and for a long period of time, and few families of refugees who have recently been transferred to Lithuania from Greece.

Children also were not forgotten. They enjoyed gifts which were generously given away to them – caps for boys, scarves for girls, prayer rugs, magnets with inscriptions “Assalamu Alaikum” and “I Love Islam”, brooches with “Eid Mubarak”, balloons with words “Eid mubarak” in Arabic, soap bubbles, and some perfume. Children were happy with all the gifts they got.

All the day feeling of community, joy and care of each other was in the air. It was the most beautiful day after month of Ramadan.

Comments by the participants

Vilma (from Rokiskis) is writing to us:

I’ve started practicing Islam recently, so this year I had my first Ramadan and the first Eid-ul-Fitr. I was going to the village of Keturiasdesimt Totoriu without any previous expectations but I was pleasantly surprised by my experience in there.

After I came I saw a group of people watching the show, taking part in the funny activities which were organized there or just simply talking to each other. I would like to thank all the sisters, who didn’t let me be bored or sad and who used to come to talk to me and get to know me each time when they noticed me standing alone.

This festival let me feel cherished family values, strong ties of community and the favours of Allah  سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى of everything we have to be happy for. I think that such events like this are the best opportunity to be better, more happier and feel closer ties to the community of all the Muslims.

Paulius (Klaipeda) is writing to us:

It was very nice to meet and talk to the other brothers living in the other parts of Lithuania. I think that it’s very important if we wish our ummah to be united and that the Muslims would not forget and would cherish their religion.

Also it was nice to see that there are more such like me in Lithuania than I have expected. I hope such events would also help the non-Muslims Lithuanians to see, know and love Islam and with time there will be more Muslims in Lithuania who would come to Eid-ul-Fitr next year. In sha Allah. So I’m very happy that I could participate in this festival after my first Ramadan. May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى  bless all the organizers and participants of this event and may He  سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى bless all the successors of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Andzela (Klaipeda) is writing to us:

It was the first time as me and all the Muslims from Klaipeda were going to Eid-ul-Fitr in the village of Keturiasdesimt Totoriu. We don’t have many Muslims in Klaipeda, so it was a real refreshment to see so many sisters and brothers of same faith from all Lithuania. Indeed, I liked to be together, get to know people of different nationalities and share stories with them despite of our different age or spoken language. It was nice that we could try activities which were promoted between the Muslims since the beginning of Islam, such as riding horses or archery, though this one was not easy. I wish to thank to all the volunteers who were patient with us while explaining everything. Children could also try these, they were not separated from adults, and they also had two bouncing castles, so they were not bored.

After nice Islamic greetings, I was impressed by Tatar children who were singing nice nasheeds without music, ma sha Allah. Also we had Qur’an reciting competition for children “I’m reciting Qur’an”. I have the best memories from this. Nice gifts which were prepared for participants encouraged children to take part in it. Such activities motivates youth to take part in religious events and meetings more often. I think it was really worth going and I hope there will be more such meetings, not only during the Eids. For me being with other Muslims helps to increase my iman.

Aiste (Kaunas) is writing to us:

Alhamdullilah that He  سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى let me attain this beautiful event – Eid-ul-Fitr. All the festival was very beautiful. I met sisters who I’d already known and got to know new ones. It was my first visit to the village of Keturiasdesimt Totoriu and wooden mosque in there.

It was very nice to watch children who got presents. I had the best mood all the day, atmosphere was very cozy. The non-Muslim kids from the neighborhood also came to the festival and were playing with the Muslim kids all together. It was very nice for me to see them like that. For the kids of different faiths it is a very nice way to know Islam. I wish to thank very much to the organizers of this festival. I hope that with time we will celebrate more Eids in this place. BarakAllahu fikum for all the gifts, tasty pilaf and nice mood.

And finally…

We ask Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى to accept all your efforts which you made in worship and good deeds during the month of Ramadan. May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى accept everything what you were doing sincerely for His sake. May all your deeds be not just showing off, but may everything you did during this month of Ramadan be a reason to forgive all your sins. May Allah  سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى make you happy on the Judgement Day and reward you plentifully for all good deeds you have done during this month. Ameen.