The Gift of ‘Īd

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

In shā’a Llāh, may this ‘Īd be blessed. May it be a means of goodness. May Allāh ﷻ accept your acts of worship and obedience. We rejoice on these days, for the sake of Allāh ﷻ, as shukr for these favors that Allāh ﷻ has given us. May Allāh ﷻ help us.

No matter how much tightness there is everywhere for Muslims, this ‘Īd is a barakah for them. It is a grace from Allāh ﷻ. Allāh ﷻ looks at everyone with His ﷻ gaze. He ﷻ looks at them with His ﷻ gaze of grace. He ﷻ gives everyone their reward. Of course, the rewards of those who are patient despite their hardships are much greater.

Now people are oppressed and troubled in many places. They have no home, no land. But they are happy with this favor given by Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla because it is ‘Īd. No matter how bad their situation is, they are still thankful for the grace of Allāh ﷻ and the favors He ﷻ has given them. The greatest favor is the favor of īmān. Even if the world is destroyed, it is not important as long as you have īmān. Even if the whole world is yours, it has no value as long as you do not have īmān.

Therefore, may this ‘Īd be blessed for everyone, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ increase goodness, may it be the means for goodness. May He ﷻ send the Sāhib. May it be a greater ‘Īd, in shā’a Llāh. The old mu’adhins would make du’ā’ and salawāt for ‘Īd and so. They would also say beautiful things. They have qasīdahs.

“لَيْسَ الْعِيد لِمَنْ لَبِسَ الْجَدِيد، إنَّمَا الْعِيد لِمَنْ خَافَ الْوَعِيد”

“Laysa l-‘Īd li-man labisa l-jadīd, innamā l-‘Īd li-man khāfa l-wa‘īd.”

It means that ‘Īd is not for the one with merely new garment. ‘Īd is for those who fear Allāh ﷻ.

If a person fears Allāh, ‘Īd is for him. Because that is the real ‘Īd. Allāh ﷻ looks at him with a gaze of grace. He ﷻ looks at him with a gaze of mercy. He ﷻ looks at those people with a gaze of consent.

Therefore – in old times, new clothes were worn on ‘Īds. Now, every day: children don’t like one dress and want another. In old times, clothes, shoes, etc. were bought from one ‘Īd to another. They were worn until they were full of holes. That’s why when ‘Īd came, people would be happy with these new clothes. We are saying it from that perspective.

But that is not important. What is important is to fear Allāh ﷻ and to be on the way of Allāh ﷻ. ‘Īd is for that. ‘Īds are spiritual occasions. It is a gift from Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. Therefore, during these ‘Īds, one should be visiting relatives and visiting the graves of the deceased and reading for them. On the morning of the day of ‘Īd, by the wisdom of Allāh ﷻ there is the ‘Īd prayer. There are many people who do not pray at all. At least, they pray a prayer from ‘Īd to ‘Īd. That is also a benefit.

Therefore, ‘Īd is pure goodness and pure beauty for Muslims in every respect. Everything is in this ‘Īd. Of course, children in the old times had places to go to for ‘Īd. They would go in ‘Īd. They would play there and do all kinds of fun things for children. Now there are not that many anymore. Because a thousand things were made for them to play every day.

Even if the ‘Īds in old times did not have much joy, they had joy in being near Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. Even if there weren’t such toys, Allāh ﷻ gives that beauty to the inside of a person on ‘Īds. There isn’t so on any other holiday; holiday of I don’t know what, the holiday of wood, the holiday of logs, the holiday of fire. None of those are important.

These beautiful ‘Īds of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla give people physical and spiritual happiness and goodness. May Allāh ﷻ bless them. May they be a means of guidance for people, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

30 March 2025 | 1 Shawwal 1446

Lefke, Cyprus

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