After a month of fasting, Eid brings with it a message of contentment and celebration, along with the call for unity, harmony, and joy. People return home to be with their loved ones. Like every year, at least 25 million people will have traveled to different parts of the country on the occasion of Eid.
Origins
Eid ul Fitr is an Arabic word, meaning happiness or festivity, which originates from the Arabic word “Aud” and Fitr, translating to the breaking or conclusion of fasting.
Eid-ul-Fitr means the festival of fast-breaking, which will return after a year.
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Muslim calendar, to mark the end of a month-long fast during the month of Ramadan.
According to a Hadith attributed to Anas ibn Malik, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the two festivals of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Azha were instituted by the Prophet after his journey from Mecca to Medina.
The importance of Eid-ul-Fitr is purely spiritual. It is the day when Muslims thank Allah for giving them the will, the strength, and the endurance to fast and obey his commandment during the holy month of Ramadan.
Eid in Bangladesh
Eid is supposed to purify us physically, mentally, and spiritually while we look inside ourselves and reflect and give back to the community. It is also meant to eliminate the feeling of hatred among us.
Only if this happens will our celebration of Eid be considered successful.
Historically, it has been seen that despite the crowds in trains and buses and the disruption of schedules, the unquenchable joy of the people has not faded. Everyone is filled with joy and happiness in celebrating Eid.
Eid is undoubtedly the biggest religious festival in Bangladesh. It creates an atmosphere of unity and harmony in all walks of life through the exchange of joy and greetings between individuals. Rich, poor, high, and low, everyone participates in the joy and festivities of Eid with their families and relatives as much as they can.
Just as we practice self-restraint in the teachings of fasting in Ramadan, we must also practice social responsibility during Eid. The flow of greetings, harmony, and cordiality that is present in the atmosphere during Eid festival increases the joy of the individual many times over, and a portion of personal joy is transformed into the vastness of social joy.
In Bangladesh, a lot of harshness, selfishness, and bad behavior has been developing over the years. Instead of human values, brutality is also seen in personal and professional life. Instead of thinking about the welfare of people, some people are engaging in bribery, corruption, adulteration, and price gouging. Some people are displaying brutality like murder, rape, and violence against women and children.
One must consider the real message of Ramadan and Eid. It carries the message of friendship, harmony, and joy at the end of Ramadan, giving us an opportunity for self-realization. It encourages us to understand social responsibility as human beings.
As a result, instead of excessive excess of personal joy and enjoyment during the Eid festival, it is everyone's duty in the existing context to be as humane and considerate as possible. It is everyone's duty to understand the suffering of the oppressed, distressed, and neglected people in society. Because festivals and joy are meaningful and successful only when they can bring smiles to everyone's faces.
Greatness lies in being able to be happy and joyful with everyone. Nothing can be greater than eradicating the fear, panic, and despair among all and spreading the unbridled fruits of harmony and joy.
On the occasion of Eid celebrations, a large number of people from the capital and other big cities go to their villages. May their Eid journey be smooth and comfortable.
It is our duty to ensure that everyone can enjoy the joy of Eid equally. May the world be free from all forms of violence, hatred, and strife.
May the horrors of religious extremism and terrorism be eradicated. May the bonds of inter-religious harmony and brotherhood be strengthened. May the coming days be beautiful and adorned with beauty. May every soul be filled with laughter, happiness, and the joy of Eid. May an atmosphere of moderation, brotherhood, and harmony prevail in individual, family, society, and national life—this is the sincere wish of the Eid festival.