Celebration of Eid ul-Fitr

» Ameenah - The celbrating of Eid In the United States.

I was born and raised Christian, every Sunday my mother although she never went to church nor did I ever see her pray made sure that myself and my siblings were carried off to church in the church bus. We spent every holiday season surrounded by gifts, food, family and decorations that could only be used this time of the year. It was an exciting time. We sang songs, cooked huge meals, and spent more money on each other than we had spent all year. By the time that my third child was born I had already drifted far from Christianity and had felt sick around the holiday seasons. None of our practices as a child represented what we claimed we were celebrating.
In 1992 I converted to Islam my first three Ramadans and Eids were quiet one day events. Nothing momentous and nothing spectacular. Some years ago I moved to Ohio to find a small American Muslim Community who really celebrated during the Eid. We danced, sang songs, exchanged gifts and as the years have passed I have become extremely more envolved.Yet I still miss something in this most holy celebration. I want this Eid to reflect my family. I have four children who are fasting through Ramadan they have struggled with all of the American influences drifting in from every ones else holiday. We dress , sing , dance , eat, and play American. I went to the library to find information on celebrations but there is nothing American that reflects our
Holy Day. I would like the communities feed back on what we can do take make this TRUE HOLY DAY spectacular,reflecting this wonderful country we live in without losing the purpose.

-- posted by Ameenah

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» amadania1 - Re: The celbrating of Eid In the United States.

In response to message posted by Ameenah:

Assalam Aliakum sister,

I kind of understand what you mean by missing the spiritual aspect of the Eid. What ive come to the realization of is that the Eid may at times be a reflection of what my Ramadan was like. By this I mean that the Ramadan is a time for spiritual excercise. Not just abstinace from the mundane. Eid and the days to follow till the next Ramadan are a sort of measuring of the spiritual strengthening (or lack there of) that I trained for during Ramadan. Will I return to the world, having left it in a sense, and indulge in it as though I were starved of it? A similitude would be that of the iftar at magarib. Will I control my nafs or allow it to control me, filling my gut with more food in one sitting or through out the night than I would have eaten had i not fasted?

Or will I excercise remembrance of Allah exalted is He, and strive for His forgiveness, guidance, protection, His love and promise of His Jennah through furthuring my ibadah (devotinal practices)?Insha Allah I am empowered to perform the latter, Aaameen.
I see the Eid as the day of a race and the gates have opened for my higher self, for my lower self and Shaitan the accursed. By Allah may my higher self previal Aaameen.

With the Eid Salah,khutbah, the regular Salah and company of friends and family that will remind you through out the day of Allah, exalted is He, and His greatness Insha Allah you will have a great spiritual Eid!
I find that reading things through out the day with my family kind of juices me up and provide great reminders that Ramadan is over but the worship aint eg. Riyadh As Sauliheen (gardens of the righteous)Hayatus Sahaba (Lives of the Sahaba) Muhammed (SAW) by Martin Lings (Abu Baker Siraj Al Din) Knowledge And Wisdom By Imam Al Hadadd found at Starlatch Press IS REALLY GREAT.
I sincerly hope that ive provided usefull info. May Allah accept it Aaameen.
MAy Allah help you, me and all the Muslims, accept our ibada forgive us and grant us all entry into his Jennah Aaameen.

your brother in islam Mustafa
Asalam Alaikum wa rahmatullah

-- posted by amadania1

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