Mukaddimah
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
First and foremost, we would like to say Happy Eidul Fitr, وَكُلُّ عَامْ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْر تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ, and may Allah reward us with taqwa, so that we may express our gratitude for the blessing of guidance Allah has blessed us all with. And also for the air we are blessed with as well as our ability to still be able to breathe. Alhamdulillah for all of that.
In conjunction with the celebration of Hari Raya, we would like to offer an article of Bayan Linnas entitled The Ethics of Celebrating Eid and Its Omissions as a guidance for us in our current situation, so that we are not misguided and stay in this path of Allah’s blessing even though we are happy and celebrating.
The Ethics of Celebrating Eid
Among the ethics of celebrating Eid are:
- Bath, wearing perfumes, and wearing new clothes. This is done by the Prophet PBUH himself as well as his companions which are Ibn Umar, Ali bin Abi Talib, and others. Said bin al-Musayyib said: “There are three Sunnah acts on the day of Eid: Walking to the place of performing Eid prayer, eating before stepping out of the house and taking a bath”
- It is Sunnah to hasten going to masjid on the day of Eid. However, for the imam, it is Sunnah for him to be last person to come in performing the Eid prayer as done by the Prophet PBUH.
- It is Sunnah to have a light meal before going out to perform the Eid prayer for Eidul fitr. Meanwhile, it is Sunnah to eat after the prayer for Eidul adha.
- It is Sunnah to walk to the masjid and to use different paths when going and returning. This is based on a hadith narrated by Jabir RA, in which he said:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ عِيدٍ خَالَفَ الطَّرِيقَ
On the Day of `Id the Prophet (ﷺ) used to return (after offering the `Id prayer) through a way different from that by which he went.
Sahih al-Bukhari (986)
- It is Sunnah to congratulate and make du’a to one another. This is based on a hadith narrated by Wathilah which recorded by Imam al-Bukhari. “I once went to meet with the Prophet PBUH on the day of Eid, then I said to him: تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ (May Allah accept from us and you), he then answered: Yes, تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ (May Allah accept from us and you)”
- After the sun sets, it is makrooh (undesirable) for the imam to perform other Sunnah prayer before the Eid prayer, and it is not applicable to the rest of the people. This is based on a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas RA:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُصَلِّ قَبْلَهَا وَلاَ بَعْدَهَا
"The Prophet went out on the day of Al-Fitr, so he prayed two Rak'ah, then he did not pray before it nor after it."
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (537)
Omissions on the Ethics of Celebrating Hari Raya
We would like to highlight some omissions on ethics in which they are against the Sunnah of the Prophet PBUH, especially when we are busy enjoying the celebration. Among the omissions are:
- Fail to perform Eid prayer and not going to the place of prayer, instead, just staying at home.
- Busy watching television shows and neglect visiting relatives’ houses. This act seems worse these days as the shows aired during Eid celebrations are great distractions.
- Wear clothing that does not cover the aurah, inappropriate and are against the Islamic teachings.
- Playing Hari Raya music and songs which are inappropriate and excessive entertainment in the name of Hari Raya. It is better to replace them with dhikr, nasyid, and appropriate songs which are in line with the Islamic teachings.
- Prolonged visits to friends’ houses which would then trouble the host.
- Criticize the food served or compare the taste of the food between houses.
- Asking for money (duit Raya) from the host which could make him feel troubled and burdened.
- Shake hands between men and women or excessive socializing and mixing around between opposite genders of non-Mahram Muslims.
- Busy visiting others to extent of forgetting to pray five daily prayers and delaying the prayers from its stipulated time.
- Forget to visit the needy and the orphans, instead, his focus is towards the rich and wealthy people.
- Celebrating Hari Raya for a month long to the extent of being incapable to fast six days of Syawal Sunnah fasting.
- Lack of giving charity as well as helping the needy, orphans and those who are unfortunate.
- Being excessive in adorning until the excessiveness of his wealth is shown to the extent of exposing himself to takbur, riya’ and arrogance.
- Gathering without benefits and ignoring others.
- Forget to visit the sick at the hospital as well as those who are needy, instead of busying oneself with excessive happiness with friends who are healthy.
Being Happy on Hari Raya
It is common to be happy with the coming of Eid for all of the Muslims around the globe, for the efforts of doing obligatory as well as Sunnah act of worship.
The answer here, what is the ruling of enjoying oneself and how does it supposedly done?
The scholars already discussed this issue in a lengthy discussion on entertainment and games permitted by the Syara’. Enjoying and entertaining oneself with permissible acts are permitted, indeed it is even encouraged especially on the day of Eid.
Generally, as long as the entertainment or games does not lead to the negligence of a Muslim from his responsibilities, then they are permitted. This is the general condition need to be observed when one is enjoying himself by some games or other entertainment.
Another condition is the games should not lead to sin or are mixed with prohibited acts like drinking alcohol, gambling, mixing around between non-Mahram men and women, and entertaining to the extent of quarreling and fighting between one another.
If the games or entertainment do not adhere to the guidelines set by syara’, then they are prohibited (haram) although the games or entertainments originally are permissible (harus). In the time of the Prophet PBUH, the Arab community loves to play, beat the drum and sing during any festivities.
Saidatina Aisyah RA said:
“The Ethiopians played around the Prophet PBUH on the day of Eid. Then, I put my chin on his shoulder (to have a better view of the people) while enjoying the play until I felt satisfied, then left (from there)”
Riwayat Ahmad
In another narration, Saidatina Aisyah RA said:
دَخَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعِنْدِي جَارِيَتَانِ مِنْ جَوَارِي الأَنْصَارِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِمَا تَقَاوَلَتِ الأَنْصَارُ يَوْمَ بُعَاثَ ـ قَالَتْ وَلَيْسَتَا بِمُغَنِّيَتَيْنِ ـ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَمَزَامِيرُ الشَّيْطَانِ فِي بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَذَلِكَ فِي يَوْمِ عِيدٍ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ عِيدًا، وَهَذَا عِيدُنَا "
“Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) !" It happened on the `Id day and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Bakr! There is an `Id for every nation and this is our `Id."
Riwayat Ibn Hibban
دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعِنْدِي جَارِيَتَانِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِغِنَاءِ بُعَاثَ، فَاضْطَجَعَ عَلَى الْفِرَاشِ وَحَوَّلَ وَجْهَهُ، فَدَخَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَانْتَهَرَنِي وَقَالَ مِزْمَارَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " دَعْهُمَا ". فَلَمَّا غَفَلَ غَمَزْتُهُمَا فَخَرَجَتَا. قَالَتْ وَكَانَ يَوْمُ عِيدٍ يَلْعَبُ السُّودَانُ بِالدَّرَقِ وَالْحِرَابِ، فَإِمَّا سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِمَّا قَالَ " تَشْتَهِينَ تَنْظُرِينَ ". فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ. فَأَقَامَنِي وَرَاءَهُ خَدِّي عَلَى خَدِّهِ وَيَقُولُ " دُونَكُمْ بَنِي أَرْفِدَةَ ". حَتَّى إِذَا مَلِلْتُ قَالَ " حَسْبُكِ ". قُلْتُ نَعَمْ. قَالَ " فَاذْهَبِي "
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu'ath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, i.e. Khazraj and Aus, before Islam.) The Prophet (ﷺ) reclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side. Abu Bakr came and scolded me and said protestingly, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I waved the two girls to go away and they left. It was the day of `Id when negroes used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O Bani Arfida (i.e. negroes)!" When I got tired, he asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave.
Sahih al-Bukhari (2906, 2907)
Hence, let us all celebrate Eidul Fitri or Hari Raya while adhering to the ethics set by Islam. Don’t ever fill this festivity with wastage and excessive entertainment. In fact, all entertainments are permitted, but in obeying the true procedures set by this religion.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said in his book Lataif al Minan: “Eid is not by (merely) wearing new clothes, but Eid is for those who increase their obedience to Allah.”
Statements of the Mufti of Federal Territories
We start this statement with a du’a تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ. May Allah accept from us and you for all worship that we did. In this country, we would like to state some matters as the perfection of the ethics of celebrating Eid. Some of them are:
- Don’t forget to pay zakat fitrah and make sure to do it on the night of Eid or the day of the Eid before performing Eid prayer. This is the Sunnah told by the Prophet PBUH. Paying zakat is compulsory.
- Purify our heart first from any bad intentions like having a grudge, being envious and others.
- Adorn yourself with good behaviors like purity, honesty, pious, fairness, humbleness and always put your trust in Allah.
- With the setting of the sun in which is an indication of the coming of 1 Syawal, start to pray as well as munajat to Him.
- Adorn the night of Eid with the reciting of takbir as a show of obedience towards Allah’s commandment.
- Express gratitude for the countless blessing, so that the mukhayyam tarbawi faced can be done successfully.
- Before seeking for forgiveness, forgive others first so that the forgiveness we are seeking for comes from a pure heart and intention.
- Enliven the night of Eid and its day with zikrullah as well as the acts of worship to increase our rewards.
- Take this opportunity to go back to your hometown to strengthen the silaturrahim and ukhwah between family, neighbours, and friends.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask for forgiveness from all individuals and I also sincerely forgive all wrongdoings upon me. May Allah make our hearts clear and filled with diligence, sincerity, and mahabbah of love between us. Ameen.
To close, I would like to remind myself as well as my fellow friends to care for the orphans, poor, elders, sick persons and the mustad’afin so all of them be taken care of and are concerned from us who are blessed by Allah with some wealth.
Conclusion
Based on the syari’ah Islamiyyah through the Sunnah nabawiyyah, it is clear how Muslims should act and behave in the midst of happiness and celebration after successfully passing the worship of fasting as well as other Sunnah act of worships in the month of Ramadhan. After a month of hard work and determination of worships, Allah SWT blesses us with the coming of Syawal as a sign or our victory in hard work and consistency in worships. However, this victory should be filled with gratitude and the way it is done is by reciting takbir as a praise of the One and Only God while strengthening the silaturrahim by strengthening the ukhuwwah Islamiyyah.
In this context, we are told to build two strong ties which are hablum min Allah (relationship with Allah) and hablum min annas (relationship with other humans). When these ties are strengthened, surely there will be lots of good outcomes and peace among the community. As a result, the sins of the servants are forgiven, families become happy to the extent of it is eligible to be entitled to baiti jannati, the community could grow harmoniously, and the relationships between them are strong without any prejudice. Above all, the country or the state which they live in together is entitled to Baldatun Toyyibatun wa Robbun Ghafur.
Selamat Hari Raya,
Minal ‘aidin wal faizin,
وَكُلُّ عَامْ وَأَنْتُمْ بِخَيْر
تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ