title: Eid Message

Eid Mubarak!

First of all I’d like to wish all our readers a warm Eid Mubarak! I pray this is a time full of barakah (blessings) for all of you and your families and all of the Muslims around the world. I also pray that the Hajj of those who have traveled on it this year in the face of fears of flu and flooding is accepted along with all of the adeya they made there and that they return in a state of renewal.

Have a Special Eid!

We just announced the winners of our Eid al-Adha giveaway where I asked sisters what they do, or what makes Eid special for them and their families.

We got some heart warming answers, unique traditions and all of the answers were beautiful and, of course, special!

Many of the sisters who answered and their families were reverts/converts. This adds another layer to Eid celebrations, it’s a matter of letting go of the old celebrations (eg. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthdays etc.) and making Eid your own without making it a substitute.

Reverts/Converts

One answer (one of the winners) talked about all of the revert sisters in their small town gathering together, dressing up and making it a special time for them and their children. They made a sort of Muslim family of their own and made sure Eid was a unique and special time for themselves and their children. I think this is a wonderful idea for those of us who don’t have muslim family and have other reverts around us in the same position.

Another revert muslim couple (also a winner) started a tradition that truly touched me. They include sick Muslims in their Eid traditions by visiting them in the hospital. This is an honorable gesture that I think everyone who is able to should consider doing.

And another revert sister still who is unmarried and doesn’t have children has a tradition of having a sisters slumber party of sorts on the night before Eid with herself and another single sister. I think this is an absolutely wonderful way to spend Eid!

New and Old Tradition.

Another of our winners talked about losing the Eid spirit as the family grew and went in separate directions with High School and College and then finding it again almost by accident through a surprise gift.

A sister talked of Old traditions, the familiarity of all coming together at their grandmothers house. This was one of my favorite answers, I felt like I was joining them for this generations old tradition. I’ll be thinking of them today and hoping their journey on the same road they have traveled so often will end in the same happiness they’ve come to anticipate on Eid at their grandmothers home.

Make Eid Your Own

Eid is not like the many vague holidays that hold their relevance in questionable history or ancient pagan traditions. The Eids have clear meaning and value in our time and clear and relevant history to each and every Muslim today and since the time of Ibrahim/Abraham -and with that, to each and every Christian and Jew.

It’s not a substitute for Christmas or Thanksgiving or any of the other holidays, it’s all of those holidays and much, much more. Commemorating an important time in history (that does not involve oppression but obedience to God and a test of faith) and also appreciating and counting the blessings Allah has given us.

Make Eid your own, honor it with both Sunnah (practices of the Prophet peace be upon him) and your own Unique traditions.

“…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)