Is Eid the End?

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It looks like "The End" but with an 'I' instead of the 'N'. But it is "THE END" – of the Month of Ramadan. The Eid marks the celebration of a Muslim's successful fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Specifically, this Eid is called Eid al-Fitr (the celebration of breaking fast).

When the Month of Ramadan comes to an end, a believer tends to have mixed feelings. From one angle, the believer feels sad that the spiritual "coziness" of Ramadan is drifting away. From another angle, the believer is excited to welcome the Eid holiday spirit, which manifests itself on various levels in a believer's life. From the nuclear family, to the more distant relatives, to the local community, and even to the international Muslim community, the believer feels the spirit of Eid trying to fill in the huge vacancy the month of Ramadan left behind.

It's important that we do not lose momentum as the month of Ramadan ends. In other words, a believer should maintain the spiritual development (s)he was having during the holy month. Better yet, the believer should strive towards Allah at an even more challenging pace to make up for the absence of the month of Ramadan's special spiritual treats. God-willing, this is more than possible for a sincere believer – it's expected.

When trying to live in the Eid mode, it can't hurt to keep the Ramadan farewell sadness in our hearts. Such genuine feelings can act as kind reminders as to the true essence of Eid. Visiting relatives, exposing the young ones to Eid treats, and creating positive memories can be acts of great Islamic value.

Let us not leave the holy month of Ramadan and leave the Islamic centers behind us as well. We should maintain attendance at the Islamic centers and play active roles in making the programs more interesting and beneficial rather than criticize if they seem boring. Ramadan was a time for self-conditioning, and now we must go out and face challenges with intellect and will. We can start by strengthening the foundations of Islamic awareness in our community, the Islamic centers.

Although Eid marks "The End" of the month of Ramadan, we hope it does not mark the end of what Ramadan represents. Ramadan represents the self-discipline one needs to make positive change in his or herself. It represents the sense of interdependence and generosity which builds a strong society. Most importantly, it represents the awareness of Allah, the Most Glorified. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) once said, "Each day during which he does not disobey Allah is Eid for the believer."


This article originally appeared in a previous edition of Islamic Insights.

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