August 19, 2012

Eid 2012

The most important festivals for Muslims are the three Eids. Of these Eid-ul-Zuha or Bakri Eid is celebrated to commemorate the ritual sacrifice, Eid-ul-Fitr or Ramzan Eid is celebrated at the conclusion of the month of fasting and Eid-e-Milad or Milad-un-Nabi is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the Prophet.

Eid is celebrated with a ritual namaaz (prayer) offering in a mosque. There are new clothes to wear, loads of gifts to exchange, elaborate spreads to feast on and of course, the mandatory dab of attar (rose essence) to complete the fragrant picture.

Eid-ul-Fitr comes after the holy month of Ramzan while Eid-ul-Zuha or the Feast of Sacrifice comes after doing the great worship of Hajj. The word ‘Eid’ literally means a recurring event in Islam, a joyous recurring occasion. Eid-e-Milad which is popularly known as Barah Wafat (twelve death), is celebrated on the twelfth day of the third month Rabi-ul-Awwal according to the Muslim calendar. The Prophet’s death anniversary also falls on the same day, the word barah standing for the twelve days of the Prophet’s sickness. During these days, learned men deliver sermons in mosques, focussing on the life and noble deeds of the Prophet. In some parts of the country, a ceremony known as sandal rite is performed over the symbolic footprints of the Prophet engraved in stone. A representation of buraq, a horse on which the Prophet is believed to have ascended to heaven, is kept near the footprints and anointed with sandal paste or scented powder, and the house and casket containing these are elaborately decorated. Elegies or marsiyas are sung in memory of the last days of the Prophet. The twelfth day or the urs is observed quietly, in prayers and alms-giving.

The Prophet
Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttalib, of the tribe of Qureysh, was born at Mecca about 570 A.D., 53 years before the Hijrah. For some time Muhammad was at the service of a wealthy widow, named Khadijah. This resulted in their marriage which proved a very happy one, though she was fifteen years older than him. They remained together for twenty six years and after her death Muhammad took other wives.

From about 610 A.D. Muhammad began to receive, as he believed, revelations sent down from Allah through the angel Gabriel. A small community was gathered, but they were persecuted by the Meccans. So in 622 A.D. Muhammad with his followers immigrated to Medina. Here he was no longer the leader of a religious minority, but the ruler of the city. This flight from Mecca to Medina is known as Hijrah and marks the beginning of the Islamic era.

More and more Arabian tribes accepted Islam as their religion and Muhammad as ruler, until 630 A.D. when even the Meccans submitted. In 632 A.D. Muhammad led the pilgrimage to Mecca, preached his farewell sermon and died soon after.

Festivities of Eid
On the day of the Eid, Muslims rise very early to perform the prayers and listen to a short lecture (khutbah). Women and girls pray at home while men visit the local mosque. After that they visit their relatives, both young and old, to congratulate them on this great occasion, asking Allah to accept their prayers and good deeds. In Islam Eid is a time, when all people get together whether they are young or old, rich or poor to thank Allah for all that He has given to them. Eid festivities include giving gifts - usually money - to children. The poor, needy and sick are also given money, clothes in charity on this day. People embrace and greet one another out of sheer joy.

Muslim families spend the day visiting neighbours and friends, exchanging greetings and messages of peace. Later in the day families often visit the cemetery to pay their respects to their loved ones who have passed away.

…and, finally the feast!
No festival is complete without a lavish feast. A lot of thought and love goes into preparing delicacies and sharing it with family, relatives and friends. A number of dishes are made using mutton. Mutton or Gosht Biryani (a rice dish) is a must and along with Seviyan - a dessert made of vermicelli - is prepared

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