Dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam,
Eid Mubarak (03/11/05) to you all, your families and all those who you hold dear - may it be for the sake of Allah alone.
May Allah
instil within us the love of His beloved Nabi
and so inspire us to follow his sunnah with a fervour which will revive the ummah, insha Allah.
We must refrain from indulging ourselves in pursuits of idle entertainment, and instead strive to remember Allah in all our gatherings.
Why not re-read some of the excellent poems and articles posted on MuftiSays and make an intention to share them with the family and children instead of allowing conversation to wander into futility and risk earning the displeasure of Allah.
Eid, being the sacred occasion that it is, demands that it be celebrated in accordance with the Shariah, which is by observing the Sunnah practices established from Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) on this occasion. These are as follows:
1. To arise early and perform Ibaadah on Eid night (i.e. before Subuh Sadiq)
2. To offer at least four Rakaats Tahajjud Salaah. (This was a Sunnah observed by Rasulullah throughout the year.)
3. To engage in Takbeer softly from the break of dawn till arrival at the Eidgah.
4. To perform Fajr in the Masjid of your locality.
5. To clip the moustache.
6. To have a bath and groom oneself according to the sunnah.
7. Using a Miswak.
8. Wearing new or clean clothes, the best one possesses.
9. Dressing according to the Sunnah. This entails kurta, turban, jubba, etc., since this was the type of dress Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam always wore. And for the females to wear the Hijab.
10. To apply perfume.
11. To eat dates in odd numbers before leaving. If dates are not available then anything sweet will suffice.
12. To offer Eid Salaah at the Musalla (Eidgah) even if the Masjid can accommodate the whole congregation.
13. To proceed to Eidgah on foot if it is in walking distance.
14. To take one route and return by another.
15. To set off early for the Eid Salaah.
16. To pay the sadaqatul fitr before the Salaah.
17. To perform the Salaah first and then the khutba, without azaan or iqaamat.
18. To give Sadaqah in abundance.
19. To offer two or four raka'ts Nafl Salaah at home after returning from Eidgah.
20. To listen attentively to the Eid khutbah and NOT engage oneself in anything else whilst it is being delivered.
