The Annual Muslim Fashion Show called Eid Prayer

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

The Annual Muslim Fashion Show called Eid Prayer

By Asma bint Shameem

Subhaan Allaah! Eid seems to be becoming more and more bizarre with each passing year!

You can't help but notice that when you look at everyone who shows up for the annual (well, actually twice yearly) Muslim fashion show, also known as the 'Eid prayer!
Just one look at the sisters and you'll know what I mean....beautifully made up faces, salon done hair, shimmering clothes and glittering jewelry, not to mention the sleeveless shirts, stilettos, and waves after waves of perfume!
Subhaan Allaah!
Is this what Eid is all about ??!!

Is this what a whole month of fasting teaches us ?!!
Is this what we learn after contemplating the Qur'aan ??!!

I DONT THINK SO!!!

Yet, it seems like we completely missed the very essence of Ramadaan and the beautiful message it teaches us.

Allaah says in Surah al-Baqarah

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)".

Ask yourself this…..Is this the way of the Muttaqoon??

Eid or no Eid, aren't we women supposed to cover ourselves and dress modestly in front of non-Mahram men??

Didn't we read this order of Allaah in the Qur'aan to the believing women??

Didn't the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) say:

"Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, is an adulteress." (al-Nasaa'i, al-Tirmidhi: hasan by al-Albaani)

Did we forget that the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said: "There are two types of the people of Hell whom I have not seen…..women who are clothed yet naked, going astray and leading others astray, with their heads looking like the humps of camels, leaning to one side. They will not enter Paradise nor even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance may be detected from such and such a distance." (Muslim).

These sisters need to realize that they are being sinful in more than one way:

Not only are these sisters being sinful themselves dressing this way, by openly defying the direct order of Allaah to cover and dress modestly, but they also share a part of the sin when they make the brothers look at them by dressing inappropriately. And they also set a distorted, misleading example for all the young girls who come for the Eid prayer, giving them the impression that its OK to dress like that.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) said:

"Whoever calls people to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow him, without it detracting from their burden in the slightest." (Muslim)

And what about the Eid Khutbah??

If you ask most of the sisters what the khateeb said, they wouldn't have the slightest idea whatsoever.

Anybody guess WHY???

Because they are so busy chatting and yapping away….THATS why!

Did we come to the Eid prayer to pray or to socialize?

Sure, we are all happy to see our friends and family and want to wish them 'Eid Mubarak' and make plans to get together. But, aren't we supposed to listen quietly to the Eid Khutbah first and be thankful to Allaah for enabling us to fast and guiding us?

Allaah says:

"Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days of fasting), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him." (Baqarah:185)

And yes, Eid is a celebration for us and we should rejoice and be happy. But that doesn't mean that we forget the laws of Allaah and lose all the hard work and effort we put in the last 30 days just for a few hours of 'looking good' in front of others.

The million dollar question is….DO WE LOOK GOOD IN FRONT OF ALLAAH??!!!

What excuse will we have in front of Him regarding our inappropriate behavior….flirting with the opposite sex, the smiles and the looks, the loud music?!!

How can we use our eyes and ears and mind and body to disobey the One who gave us all these blessings in the first place?!!

And right after Ramadaan!!!

My dear brothers and sisters, there is much more to Eid than dressing up and hanging out with friends.

Reflect on what has gone and what is to come.

How can we think that Eid Prayer is the time to let our guards down and stop performing good deeds?

Let's not throw away all of the good deeds that we have gained during the blessed month of Ramadan. Think of ways to multiply your deeds well into the year and continue to improve. Let's celebrate, talk, wear make-up, and dress up on Eid. But let's do it in our homes and in our private parties.

Eid is a time to give thanks to Allaah for his mercy and generosity….it's a time to be humble and obedient. Let's go to the Eid Prayer with the intention of submission to the Almighty, doing only those things that would please Him.

Look at what one of the righteous people said when they passed by some people who were engaged in idle entertainment on the day of Eid:

"If you did well in Ramadaan, this is not the way to give thanks for that. If you did badly in Ramadaan, this is not the way that the one who did badly should behave."

Remember….

For the Mumin, Eid does not mark the end of righteousness. Rather it is just the beginning….

As-Salaam Walekum

Alvida Ramadan ..........Eid Celebrations - What TO Do and NOT to do on Eid Day

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

~ Alwida Ramadan ~

~ A time of Sadness and Joy ~
Dear Brothers and sisters in faith,

Ramadan is drawing to a close and we anticipate the arrival of Eid-ul-Fitr, the holiday at the end of the month of Ramadan. This is a time of sadness and a time of joy.
Sadness that the blessed month has to end and joy that we hope to have offered our best during the month, and hope that it will be accepted by Allah and that we will be rewarded.
It is also a time of sadness as the world’s crises continue to increase. While we have fasted to gain God-consciousness, self-restraint and piety, we have also felt short-term hunger and thirst. Many of our fellow human beings, Muslims and non-Muslims around the world feel hunger and thirst every day.
Alhumdulillah, we are blessed with ample supplies of food and clean drinking water. Yet we know millions of people around the globe live in refugee camps or worse, hoping for a crumb of bread and a drink of water.
War and sanctions, drought and disease, some things within our control, others not in our control, have combined to bring about these catastrophes. As humans and especially as Muslims, we must reach out to change the fortunes of those unfortunate masses that are struggling to stay alive.
If we can offer donations, we must do so. If we can work to lift sanctions, we must do so. If we can offer technology or expertise to find and supply water, we must do so. And if we cannot do any of this, we must offer dua (supplication or prayers) for our fellow humans around the globe and perhaps even in our neighborhoods.
Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, says in the Qur'an: "And your LORD says: "Call on Me; I will answer your call (Prayer):" (Ghafir : 60)
For those who must pay zakat (alms), Ramadan, particularly these concluding days, is a good time to do so.
Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, tells us who is eligible to receive alms in the Noble Qur'an:
"Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to the truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom." (At-Tawbah : 60)
During this month of generosity and sharing, let us each do our part to make sure next year Ramadan finds humanity in a better position than this year.
As we welcome Eid-ul-Fitr and give thanks for the blessings we have, the great month we are completing and looking forward to a prosperous Eid, let us carry the lessons we gained from Ramadan throughout the year so we maintain our focus on Taqwa and pleasing Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
We ask Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, to accept the efforts of all who fasted and enlivened their nights with salat (prayer) and Dhikr (remembrance of ALLAH), to grant us forgiveness and to blanket us with His Mercy and to guide us throughout the coming year.
We wish everyone a prosperous Eid "Eid Mubarak" and may we all be granted the privilege of witnessing Ramadan next year.. Insha'Allah.. Many happy returns!

Eid Celebrations

For every people there is a feast and this is our feast," said the Prophet to Abu Bakr [Bukhaari and Muslim]. "Our feast" has a great meaning for Muslims because it tells us that these are our own and derived from our Sharee'ah alone. Since holidays are usually based on religious traditions, it is very import ant that we demonstrate our celebrations with great joy and gathering to make us feel that they are our own, and to feel that they are different from the Mushriks' holidays. We do not celebrate Christmas, Hanukah or any other pagan festival s and our thanks are given to Allaah (T) alone.
Isla'am teaches Muslims how to celebrate the Eids. On these days, the Muslims take a bath and wear their best clothes. Even though fasting is not permitted on the Eid days, yet, the major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking - rather, it is a prayer that brings Muslims together to remember Allaah's bounties and celebrate His glory and greatness.

For other nations, a holiday is a chance to immerse in worldly pleasures, or to involve oneself in prohibited acts to the utmost. Not so for Muslims! For Muslims, the Eid is an occasion to increase in good deeds. Each Eid marks the conclusion of an important worship, and the determination to continue in obedience and submission to Allaah (SWT). In moments of extreme pleasure or sadness, a Muslim never forgets his Lord's greatness, might, glory, and watchfulness (SWT). A Muslim's actions are always controlled by this continued remembrance and awareness. Thus the Eid is not an occasion to take a vacation from Isla'amic responsibilities and commitments, or to waste time and money in extravagance. It is not "fun for the sake of fun". Rather, it is controlled and directed rejoicing that is of ultimate and definite benefit for the Muslim. The Eid is a chance to multiply good deeds by bringing happiness and pleasure to the hearts of other Muslims, by helping and supporting the poor and needy, and by getting involved in pastimes that emphasize the strong and serious Isla'amic character.

What to do on Eid Day

1. It is Sunnah to dress in the best clothes on Eid. It was narrated that Ibn Umar used to do that along with other Companions of the Prophet [pbuh] . [Fath al-Baaree]

2. It is a must (Waajib) to pray Eid Prayer. The Prophet [pbuh] and his Companions never ceased doing it, and they even gathered the people for it including women who were having their menses, children and the elderly. [Bukhari and Muslim]

3. It is Sunnah to say Takbeer loudly when leaving our homes to go to Eid Prayer. The Prophet [pbuh] used to say this until he finished the Prayer. [Silsilat Al-ahadeeth As-Sahiha]

4. The Sunnah for Eid Prayers is to pray in the Musallah (that is in an uncovered place) and not in the Masjid. The Prophet [pbuh] never prayed Eid Prayer in the Masjid. Abu Sa'eed reported: "The Prophet used to go on the day of Eid -al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adhaa to the Musallah, and the first thing he did was to pray." [Bukhaari and Muslim]

5. Neither Adhaan nor Iqaamah are pronounced for Eid Prayer. [Muslim]

6. Ibn Abbaas reported: "The Prophet [pbuh] prayed two Rakaahs for the Eid prayer and did not pray before it or after it." [Bukhaari]

7. Jabir reported: "The Prophet [pbuh] used to come back from Eid-al-Fitr on a path other than the one used in going to it." [Bukhaari]

8. It is permitted to listen to songs (without musical instruments) on Eid day especially for children. [Bukhaari and Muslim]

What NOT to do on Eid Day

1. To shave the beards especially for Eid. The Prophet [pbuh] has ordered us not to shave our beards; so it is a shame that, on this great day of demonstrating our differences in ceremonies to those of the Mushriks, that some Muslim shaves his beard so that he looks "clean" like the Mushriks.

2. To imitate the Mushriks in their practices and dress, and to shake hands with women. The Prophet [pbuh] said: "It is better that a man is hit with needle on his head than to touch a woman who is not lawful for him." [Silsilat al-Ahadeeth as-Sahiha]

3. To listen to music on Eid. The Prophet [pbuh] said: "There will be some in my nation who will regard adultery, men dressing in silk, drinking intoxicants (al-Khamr), and musical instruments to be lawful." [Bukhaari, Abu Dawood and Bayhaqee]

4. For women not to wear Hijaab. To do so is to celebrate Eid while committing a major sin.

5. To visit the graveyard especially on Eid. It is permitted to visit the graveyard all year long so we should not make a special case out of it on Eid.

6. To waste money and being extravagant with food instead of giving them to the poor.

http://www.masjidibrahim.org/articles/worship/eid_celebrations.htm

Also Download and Read

Eid Etiquette and Rulings.pdf

As-Salaam Walekum