When the Azhaan (the praying voice heard from the mosque) is heard this morning, the Bloemfontein Muslim community will gather in celebration of Eid al-Fitr to signify the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
• During every Azhaan, besides the call to prayer, also proclaims that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.
The religious Eid (festival of the breaking of the fast) is the one day during which Muslims are permitted to eat again. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29/ 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
Courant caught up with a member of the Bloemfontein Muslim community, Mash-Hoodah Cassim, to find out how they will be celebrating the end of Ramadan.
“Our family will come together and unite as one, rejoicing the day of Eid- ul Fitr,” says Cassim. She further noted that preparation for Eid usually starts the day before with a lot of baking and cooking in every home.
“On the day of Eid everyone wakes up early. We go to the mosque for a prayer and thank Allah for everything,” says Cassim.
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(Mash-Hooday Cassim and Fatima Zakhura)
Prayer (Salah) in the muslim community is of the greatest priority. Five times a day the muezzin ( the person appointed at a mosque to lead, recite and the call to prayer) calls the faithful to prayer – for Fajr (at daybreak), Zuhr (early afternoon), Asr (late afternoon), Magrib (early evening) and Isja (at night).
Muslims all around the world can now return to a more natural lifestyle of being able to eat, drink and resume intimacy with spouses during the day.
Interesting Eid Facts:
1. It is customary to eat breakfast before the special prayer of Eid, as Prophet Muhammad used to eat something sweet before offering his prayers.
2. In Muslim countries Eid is an official public holiday that lasts for three days.
3. As the crescent moon of Eid appears on different dates in different countries, many Muslim communities celebrate Eid on the day it appears over the sky above Mecca.
4. The Eid prayer is different from the regular prayer known as Adhaan. The special prayer can be done anytime between the Ishraq (dawn) and Zawal (midday) prayers.
5. In Turkey, Eid is called Ramazan Bayram which means Ramadan Feast. The Eid delicacies are also known as Seker Bayram, which is inspired from the popular Turkish sweet baklava.
6. In Indonesia, Eid is also called Idul Fitri or Lebaran. On the day of celebrations many Indonesian Muslims visit the graves of their family members and clean the gravesite and offer prayers to Allah for forgiveness.
7. Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family.
8. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques.
Provided by Factbox
