Eid - The Spirit and Symbolism of this Day

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ربنا انزل علينا مائدة من السماء تكون لنا عيدا لاولنا وآخرنا وآية منك

'O Allah! Send us from heaven a table spread with food that it may mark a feast, one of a kind for those before us and for those after us, as a sign from You; and provide us our sustenance, You are the best Sustainer.'

(Suratal-Maida: 114)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2016.

Eid is a time to rejoice; a time to offer thanks for having completed the 30 days of fasting, and a time to come together and rejoice in our common belief, values, and path. In the doa that we pray on the morning of Eid after sunrise, Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen says, “allahumma – O Lord we beseech your forgiveness on this day that we break our fast (Fitar). For Mumineen You made Eid a day of joy and happiness. For all Muslims You made it a day of gathering and congregation/assembly.”

Syedna al-Mu’ayyad al-Shirazi writes in one of his doas that it is because of Allah’s wisdom that all species have some sorts of a capstone or pinnacle. For example, the zenith of all tree species is the date palm, in minerals (rocks) it is the ruby, and in all of the lands it is Baitullah. Similarly, there are days that are more special than others and these are known as the days of Allah. Syedna al-Mo’ayyad explains that these days themselves are inanimate, but they in fact represent real individuals, hudud, and their distinction over other days makes sense because of their symbolism. The days of Ramadan are special because of the Imamsthey represent.

The day of Eid is special because it represents an Imam whose status among people is like the day of Eid among other days. Just as Eid is a day of rejoicing, the presence of the Imam is a cause for eternal rejoice. Just as Eid is a gathering of the faithful, the presence of the Imam is the magnet for all the souls of the faithful.

We celebrate and rejoice on Eid not only in the context of its being an inanimate day, but because it represents a living Imam.

In the Imam’s seclusion the presence of the Dai is Eid for Mumineen. His presence is the magnet of our souls. From his presence we receive the spiritual feast of Eid. We received these blessings throughout Ramadan in Syedna’s bayaans, his Munajaat, his wasilas – especially in Lailatul Qadar - and through his continuous doas. Though we may be separated by physical distance, we will all gather spiritually with our Dai on the day of Eid and rejoice in its blessings.

As we soon approach Eid-ul Fitar we offer thanks to Allah Ta’ala for the blessings of the ta’eed of Imamuz-zaman we received through his Dai in Shehrullah. We offer thanks to Allah Ta’ala for guiding us and enabling us to observe and fast the 30 days of Shehrullah. We offer thanks for He has enlightened us with the recognition and ma’rifat of the symbol (the day of Eid) and the great being it symbolizes (our Imam). We offer thanks for the feast that we will enjoy on that day that will quench our thirst and satiate our hunger.

We wish Eid Mubarak to all Mumineen. May this day’s blessings shower upon you and fill you with its barakaat.

By virtue of this day and by virtue of the Imam that this day represents, may Allah Ta’ala unite the community of faith under the banner of Da’wat.

 وَفِيْ ظِلِّ رَاْيَةِ دَعْوَةِ حَقٍ

اِلٰهٍيْ آجْمَعَن شَمْلَ اَهْلِ الْوَلاءٖ

Allah, unite the community of faith

Under the banner of the True Dawat