Eid Al-Fitr
The Eid Khutba begins with the following declaration of faith:
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no Lord except Allah and all praise and thanks to Allah.
Dear brothers and sisters today is the day of joy and happiness as we mark the end of the blessed month of Ramadhan.
It has been a month of devotion, of worship and of reflection for us all. We do this with the intention of seeking Allah SWT’s pleasure and mercy and for admittance into Jannat. We pray that we are amongst those people who Allah SWT forgives in the blessed month just gone.
The imam reminded us of a hadith in which the Prophet SAWS said:
“He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin.”
Dear brothers and sisters today is the day we give praise and thanks to Allah SWT for the opportunity to complete another month of Ramadhan and all the rewards that come with it. In accepting this gift of Ramadhan, we are obliged to do the following in this day that marks the end of the month:
- We begin the day by eating some dates.
- We take a bath and put on our best clothes.
- We pay our Zakat-ul-Fitr so that the poor can be part of this celebration.
- We take one path to come to the masjid and a different path returning home so that we can spread the joy of Eid to the community.
- We greet one another, supplicate for one another, visit one another, and share joys with one another in the true spirit of love and brotherhood.
- And we culminate this celebration by chanting the Takbeer, glorifying Allah SWT.
Dear brothers and sisters, no-one wants to lose this wonderful state of being. Very few things in this world match the euphoria felt after the month of Ramadhan is over and one has successfully fasted, prayed and carried out acts of worship.
However, this day for most comes with a touch of sadness. Sadness, that Ramadhan, our beloved friend, the purifier of souls, and the much-anticipated annual visitor is leaving us.
We don’t know if we’ll live to see another Ramadhan. But in the meantime, we need to work hard to hang on to the good things we’ve done during this blessed month.
Consistency is the key here and so there are 3 things that one should be mindful of that they can carry on over the next 11 months until we are reunited with this blessed month once again.
Firstly, let’s keep the Quran as our companion. Whether it be a juz, a page or an ayat, don’t forget the book of Allah as it will serve to keep your spirits lifted throughout the year. And specifically recite Sura Al-Iklas 3 times daily. The reward for this is as if we finished the whole Quran every day.
Secondly, let’s keep the Masjid as our solace. The local masjid is never busier than the month of Ramadhan and never quieter than the months that come after it. The starting point may differ for us all, but a recommendation would be to at least come for Isha and Fajr at the masjid. The reward for this is as if we prayed the whole night.
And lastly, let’s fast the whole year round. Not every day of course but in a way we can achieve that level of reward by fasting 6 days of this forthcoming month of Shawaal. This is what the Prophet SAWS has told us is the reward for this act of worship.
Dear brothers and sisters, today is a day of celebration and joy. Let’s spend it in the right manner and then retain our good habits in our actions over the forthcoming year.
