Submission by: Tavis Adibudeen [
[EMAIL PROTECTED] ]
Topic:
Eid: A Joyous Occasion or Another Reason to
Divide?
Text:
With the Name of Allah, The Merciful Benefactor, The
Merciful Redeemer
Eid: A Joyous
Occasion or Another Reason to Divide?
As we once again approach the time for Eid-al-fitr, we are reminded of the
blessings that we have received during the glorious month of Ramadan.
Allah, in His supreme Mercy, has undoubtedly showered countless blessings upon
the believing men and women, and we pray to Allah that we are counted among
them. We are also reminded of the struggle represented by fasting.
We as Muslims strive to learn the disciplines of self-restraint, piety, and
righteousness. We struggle in the path of Allah to do as many good deeds
as we can. The coming of Eid reminds us of that struggle and also again of
Allah's Mercy. We are able to celebrate the praises of our Lord in comfort
knowing that He is the Sustainer and Protector over us. As in the ending
of all things is a jolting reminder, so too is the ending of Ramadan a reminder
of death. It reminds us that this world is temporal, and that the
everlasting life of the next world is the one for which we should strive.
The coming of Eid thus reminds us of a new birth, and we pray that when
hereafter comes to us that we are among those who can celebrate and not those
who are sorrowful. These are among the many lessons that we draw from Eid,
and there is no doubt that more knowledgeable and pious individuals could
list hundreds more than what has been listed here.
While the above mentioned lessons are the ideas about which we
should be reminded, there is also a chilling reminder presented
to us about the state of the Ummah. Every year at the time of Eid, Muslims
fall into debates. Unfortunately, these debates are not as simple as "who
will drive the car to Eid prayer?" or "what should we buy little Ahmed for his
Eid present?" The debate is over an issue of a much more seriousness
nature. It concerns the timing of Eid and the method of determining the
correct day.
The debate actually starts before Ramadan. All year there are usually
two Islamic calendars. One is the calender sanctioned by the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia. The other is the calender used by the rest of the Muslim
world. There is usually a one-day difference between the two. If
this were the only concern, however, there would be no concern because Saudi
Arabia is only one country, and the consensus of the Ummah is superior to
that. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Many other Muslims in
many other countries prefer to follow the rulings of the Saudi jurists.
Why wouldn't they? After all, this is the land in which the Qur'an was
sent down to humanity. It is home to the holiest house around which
millions circumabulate. It is the birth place of a great people who are
descended from Prophet Ibrahim(a.s.). Why would we not
follow the leadership of the people who live in this sacred land? This is
undoubtedly the line of thinking perpetuated by those who follow the Saudi
opinion.
Those who oppose their opinion hold that every country should have its own
moon sighting and that the opinions of Saudi jurists are not sufficient to
determine the Eid date in places like Malaysia, Iran, United
Kingdom, United States, etc. Their argument is supported by
scientific evidence as well. They tend to support the advancement and use
of technology to benefit Muslims, while the opposition holds that such
technology only taints the pureness of moon sighting as it was prescribed by the
Messenger of Allah (s).
The end result of all of this is that we end up with people in the same
countries starting and ending their fasts on different days. They hold two
separate Eid prayers and both think themselves to be correct. It is not
our place to say who is correct and who should be followed. Allah is the
highest Judge and the one Who will hold us accountable for our actions.
There is no doubt about this. Our only concern is the unity of the Ummah
and the sanctity of one of our most special days, Eid. Unfortunately, I
have no solution to offer. I only ask that we all pray for Allah to bring
unity to this Ummah, to strengthen the ties of brotherhood, and to not let our
differences be a cause or reason to divide us.
We know that intentions are crucial in al-Islam. If a person
intends to end his fast on the day of Eid-al-fitr and sincerely believes that
the day which he has chosen is in fact the correct day, who are we to condemn
him or lay blame? It is not befitting of the Ummah to continue this
debate, prolong our disunity, and taint the image of Islam. Both sides
have spoken, presented their cases, and closed their books. Allah is
indeed the final Judge.
"O you who believe! Obey All�h and obey the Messenger, and those of you
who are in authority. If you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to
All�h and His Messenger, if you believe in All�h and in the Last Day. That is
better and more suitable for final determination."
Qur'an (4:59)
The key to this ayat is in the phrase "those of you who are in
authority." The Ummah does not have an Imam to be an authority over
her. So, we are thus left to guesswork, speculation, debating, and
confusion. Rest assured that Eid is not a reason to divide. It is
actually the result of our division. Under a khalifah,
there is no reason to debate such an issue. Once the khalifah has
determined the date, the people follow his lead. As long as we are content
with kings, prime ministers, dictators, military occupation, and oppression, we
will continue to have issues such as this one. It is only when we dedicate
our lives for the sake of Allah and sacrifice our own lowly
desires for the unity of the Ummah that we can again achieve victory in
this life and in the next, insha'Allah.
"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good,
enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to
attain felicity.
" (al-Qur'an
3:104)
One Ummah Network
"And verily, this Ummah of yours is One Ummah, and I am your Lord;
therefore fear only Me." (Qur'an 23:52)E-mail: (
[EMAIL PROTECTED])
The views expressed on One Ummah Information do not necessarily
coincide with the views of One Ummah Network, with the Islamic Unification
Movement, or its supporters. All the works presented by this service are
properties of their authors unless otherwise stated. This list is
moderated, and One Ummah Network reserves the right to reject any
submissions.
