After a rigorous period of 720 hours of the month of Ramadan al-Mubarak, believers, on the very first day of Shawwal al-Mukarram, the 10th month of the lunar/Islamic calendar, celebrate Eid al-Fitr, literally “the Festival of Breaking the Fast!” On every day of Ramadan, the believers break the fast just after the sunset, which thus marks the completion of the fast of each day of the month. The first day of Shawwal, as such, marks the end of the month of fasting, Ramadan. This day of festivity, Eid, as such, marks a break between the fasting period (Ramadan) and the non-fasting period (11 months) of the year. This break is significant as it becomes a “new beginning” for the life of a believer because, it is expected that s/he would live the rest of her/his life as per the lessons learnt during the month of Ramadan.
First and foremost lesson which a believer learns during the month of Ramadan is Taqwa, piety or God-consciousness. Here, it is very pertinent to note that Taqwa is in no way some mysterious term to be understood by some “select few!” It is actually a behaviour which a believer exhibits because s/he becomes conscious of the fact that one day s/he has to face her/his Lord. This consciousness is so strong that s/he tries to live her/his life according to the commandments which have been sent down for the guidance of humanity through the Messengers of God from time to time and finally through the Last Messenger of God, the Prophet Muhammad (SA‘AS).
This God-consciousness makes her/his life God-oriented and reasonable. This attitude and behaviour is thus both the means as well as the end in itself. This is because God-consciousness leads them to find guidance in the Qur’an and in turn the Qur’anic guidance makes them God-conscious. That is why the Qur’an says: “This is the Book: in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear (are conscious of) Allah; who (these people) believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them.” (2:2-3) ” So, the God-conscious people are those who are serious vis-à-vis the Reality, whether manifest or hidden, who worship the only True Lord and who strengthen the social ties by spending on the needy and the destitute.
Now, one important method to become God-consciousness is the Fasting of the month of Ramadan, as says the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.” (2:183) Naturally, this lesson is carried forward by the believer and s/he tries to live the rest part of the year as per the dictates of this lesson and instruction. This behaviour learnt by the believer becomes a life lesson for her/him because s/he finds herself/himself a changed person vis-à-vis thought, word and deed. This has been stated by the Prophet (SA‘AS) in these word: “If a fasting person doesn’t abstain from untruth (lies) and acting upon it (untruth), God has no need of her/his hunger or thirst!” (Bukhari)
Another very important lesson learnt by the believer is that s/he becomes “patient” (sabir) through Fast because Ramadan has been declared (Baihaqi) as the Month of Patience (shahar al-sabr). Now, patience (sabr) is again a positive attribute because it stops a person from unwanted impatience exhibited by the “uninitiated” people for trivial issues/circumstances of life which they are caught in. On the contrary, a patient (sabir)person behaves in a positive and reasonable way in all circumstances. That is why patience (sabr) has been declared as one of the prominent attributes of the believers as says the Qur’an: “By (the Token of) Time through the Ages; Verily Man is in loss; Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.” (103:1-3)
Yet another epithet given to the month of Ramadan is that it has been declared (Baihaqi) as the “Month of Sympathy” (shahar al-mawasat). This attitude of sympathy is learnt by the believer during the month of Ramadan by abstaining from the basic requirements of everyday life which otherwise are not unlawful. Thus, s/he comes at par with those servants of God who, due to one reason or the other, are less fortunate and thus lack some basic necessities of life. Thus, by going through a kind of “privation” for a certain period of the day during the month of Ramadan, the believer gets a chance to know the “pain” of those who are less-privileged. Her/his attitude towards the unprivileged or underprivileged would be totally different from those who mock at those who possess lesser means, as says the Qur’an: “And when they are told, “You spend of (the bounties) with which Allah has provided you,” the Unbelievers say to those who believe: “Shall we then feed those whom, if Allah had so willed, He would have fed, (Himself)?” (36:47)
On Eid al-Fitr, the believer now enters the new phase of life with these lessons of Taqwa (God-consciousness), Sabr (patience) and Mawasat (sympathy) which are enough to guide her/him for the whole year ahead. God-consciousness would lead her/him to lead a God-oriented, reasonable and result-oriented life. The believer’s life now would be purposeful, aimed at achieving the pleasure of the Lord. S/he would now lead a dynamic and active life with patience against all odds. S/he would now take “calculated risks” for a goal-oriented life. S/he would neither live in the “ivory towers of intelligentsia” nor would s/he “renounce” the world by retiring to caves and jungles! For following such an active and dynamic lifestyle s/he would have enough resources of patience at hand which would lead her/him to success. Moreover, s/he would endure and persevere against all odds. Sympathy would bring her/him out of the cocoon of selfishness. This behaviour will lead her/him to live a life meant for the welfare of the whole humanity instead of self-benefit or only for the good of his family or community.
It would be such lofty values that s/he would be celebrating on the auspicious day of Eid al-Fitr. As this all guidance would be coming from the Book of God (Qur’an) which was revealed during the month of Ramadan, therefore, s/he would also celebrate the coming of the Revelation as taught by the Qur’an itself: “In the Bounty of Allah, and His Mercy, –in that let them (believers) rejoice.” (10:58) Thus, the believers would enjoy the occasion of Eid al-Fitr fully as they had enjoyed the Iftar (Breaking of the Fast) of every day during the month of Ramadan.
This is what has been said in this Prophetic Tradition: “There are two occasions of pleasure for a fasting person: one at the time of Iftar (breaking of fast); and another at the time of meeting her/his Lord!” (Bukhari and Muslim) Clearly, Eid al-Fitr is the Grand Iftar when believers “break the fast” of the whole month of Ramadan and rejoice for being guided through the Qur’an, the Last Revelation of their Lord! Finally, they would be meeting their Lord (on the Day of Judgment) in this state of God-conscious piety and righteousness.
(Author is Sr. Assistant Professor, Higher Education Department, J&K. Feedback: [email protected])
