UAE : Dubai

Once again we have been blessed with the holy month of Ramadhan which came and passed so quickly. I pray to Allah that our Aamals are accepted, Aameen.

Eid is here and as always it is a very joyous occasion here in Dubai. The last week before Eid, is like a festival with shopping sprees and traffic jams all over.

On Eid day, we first have the Eid prayers in various mosques all over Dubai. We then visit the cemetery to offer prayers and remember our loved ones who are no more with us. In the afternoon we have lunch at the mosque where we get the opportunity to greet our friends and relatives. Evenings are set for outdoor dinners with the families (no shortage of restaurants in Dubai and yet difficult to find enough space).

All in all Eid is celebrated in its highest fervour. You have to see it to believe it.

Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, celebrated upon the sighting of the new moon on the first of Shawal in Islamic calendar. It signifies the end of the month of fasting. The holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) celebrated the first Eid ul-Fitr with his companions after a victory in the Battle of Badr.

Eid ul-Fitr is a day of happiness and festivity. It is a day when Muslims from all over the world indulge in a humble joy. It is a wholesome celebration of a remarkable achievement of the individual Muslim in the service of Allah. The Eid day starts with the Eid prayer. The Eid prayer is very important for all Muslims, as it congregates Muslims at one centre, taking place at mosques or open areas like fields or squares.

On the Eid day people dress up in new clothes or in their best clothes to attend the Eid prayer. The giving of a special charity called Fitrana for this occasion is obligatory for every capable Muslim. On this special occasion of happiness and joy, people in Dubai visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts. They greet each other by saying Eid Mubarak or a blessed 'Eid.

Eid is an occasion of ultimate joy particularly for children. They celebrate it with complete enthusiasm and frivolity. Children are given gifts or money by their parents and relatives, and get to eat a lot of sweets.

The Eid ul-Fitr is an exclusive celebration for Muslims, first it contains the spiritual and moral elements, and secondly it comes after an entire month of "absolute" fasting during the days of a month. The conception of Eid in Islam is not confined only to celebration, excessiveness and over-spending, lavish feasts, friendly handshakes and embraces; it is much more than that. Eid is a humble festival, like other Muslim festivals and occasions, it has a modest indulgence and stoical pleasures. The Muslims should rather devote this day to the worship of <>Allah Subhan Wa T'allah<> and should plead Him to approve their good deeds and forgive them for their sins. On this day the doors of God's pardon are kept open. His Blessings are plentiful.