As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.
Summary
Today is Eid ul-Fitr, or the Breakfast Festival, as I like to call it. It marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. So I wanted to wish you all Eid Mubarak, Ramzan Mubarak, etc.
As I was searching for verses for today’s episode, I remembered that Eid ul-Fitr is not actually mentioned in the Qur’an. At all. Yes, there are directives regarding prayer and charity and of course fasting and a whole multitude of rules. But no specific mention of the celebration we know today as Eid. Technically speaking, Eid ul-Fitr is Sunnah in much the same way that the specific motions of our prayers are Sunnah. That is to say that we take our cue from Prophet Muhammad. So I did a very cursory internet search and found the following Hadith (or sayings/actions/wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad).
Hadith
Narrated / Authority of: Aisha
Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Buath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aus, before Islam). The Prophet (p.b.u.h) lay down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, “Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (p.b.u.h)?” Allah’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) turned his face towards him and said, “Leave them.” When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left. It was the day of Eid, and the Black people were playing with shields and spears; so either I requested the Prophet (p.b.u.h) or he asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h) made me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, “Carry on! O Bani Arfida,” till I got tired. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) asked me, “Are you satisfied (Is that sufficient for you)?” I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave.
Narrated / Authority of: Aisha
Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, “Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah’s Apostle!” It happened on the Eid day and Allah’s Apostle said, “O Abu Bakr! There is an Eid for every nation and this is our Eid.”
Today’s selection is the last three Surahs of the Qur’an. Surah 112, Al-Ikhlas or The Purity of Faith. Surah 113, Al-Falaq or the Daybreak. And lastly, Surah 114, An-Nas or Mankind.
Verses
Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas or The Purity of Faith)
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem. In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.
Say: He is Allah, the one and only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is he begotten; And there is none like unto him.
Ameen.
Surah 113 (Al-Falaq or The Daybreak)
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem. In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.
Say: I seek refuse with the Lord of the Dawn, from the mischief of created things; From the mischief of Darkness as it overspreads; From the mischief of those who practice Secret Arts; And from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy.
Ameen.
Surah 114 (An-Nas or Mankind)
Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem. In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, the King (or Ruler) of Mankind – from the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper) – (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind – Among Jinns and among Men.
Ameen.
This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.
Thank you and be well.