Eid ul Fitr-the true essence of the festival.

As the month of Ramadan comes to an end Muslims all around the world prepare themselves for eid ul fitr. We see shopping malls flooded with people and special offers for eid at different shops. Eid means “festivity” and “fitr” means purity; it is a symbolic representation marking the end of the holy month of fasts, sacrifice and patience. Celebrated on the first of Shawwal, eid is a special occasion for Muslims around the world. What does eid mean to you? Eid ul Fitr is celebrated in different ways across different countries and communities; hence eid in its communal sense holds distinctive meaning for all Muslims. Some Muslims were interviewed to see their opinion of what eid means to them.

Mostly Pakistani expatriates and homemakers insisted that eid celebrations were far more joyous back home. They basically focused on the importance of teaching our children about the value and sanctity. This is actually true because we are engrossed in the preparations of eid that we so often forget to educate our children regarding the importance of eid. Every religious festival should be celebrated with zeal so that our children take the tradition forward. Zehra Sayed, an Indian however held a more meaningful stance because for her eid is a way forward to continue with the personal traits we so gracefully adopt in the month of Ramadan. However an Indian homemaker; Syeda Gohar insisted on helping the underprivileged to celebrate the festival in its true spirit. By making a conscious effort to go to NGOs or orphanages on eid and spending time with the less unfortunates we realize how blessed we are and children even learn the concept of sharing and charity.

But one thing that binds Muslims is unison; the one ideology that glues them together is the belief in the sanctity of the festival. Muslims hold this day in high regard and celebrate it to mark the gratitude for being blessed with life, health and opportunities.