Islam Guidance

ISLAM HAS TWO OFFICIAL FEASTS

ISLAM HAS TWO OFFICIAL FEASTS
There are two historic days in Islam called 'Eids ? feasts-' celebrated by Muslim. One is Eid ul-Fitr marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a month during which Muslims practice self-restraint and abstention from wrongdoing. They engage in spiritual state and nightly supplications. يا أيّها الّذينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيامُ كَما كُتِبَ عَلى الّذينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقونَ.

?O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (The Holy Quran; 2: 138)?
The other feast is Eid ul-Adha, which is held following performance of the Hajj rites, stay in Arafat, cognition of God, then the overnight stay in al-Mash'ar, detachment from the world, and annihilation in God's love. On these two occasions, Muslims are duty-bound to get together, and by performing the Eid Prayer and delivering speeches displays the heavenly glory of Islam and creates awe in the hearts of the atheists.

SOCIAL ASPECT OF SACRIFICE IN MINA
By discussing the socio-mental philosophy of sacrifice we have answered the questions posed by certain people who would say: Is it not better for pilgrims to offer their sacrifices at home and give to the poor and the neighbors when they return from Mecca instead of letting all the sacrifices go waste and suffer sunburn in Mina? Or is it not better for pilgrims to assign a deputy at home to sacrifice the animal on their behalf and have the flesh distributed among the poor?
These questions arise either from lack of knowledge about the sublime goal of this heavenly commandment or prejudice aimed at undermining the Hajj rites. We should note that the socio-mental aspects of the Hajj rites are extremely important. Staying in Arafat, al-Mash'ar, and Mina, Ramy al-Jamarat, performing the Eid Prayer, and delivering sermons are aimed to gather Muslims in a single place and time so as to display the glory of ummah to the world people and to
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1 This statement is a part of Ziyarat Ashuraa

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make the oppressors and colonialists shaky with Muslims' ideological unity.
Drawing the attentions of Muslims to the vital role of the Hajj rites in restoring the entity of the ummah, their dignity and independence, the Holy Quran says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللهِ وَلا الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَلا الْهَدْيَ وَلا الْقَلائِدَ وَلا آمِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَاناً.
?O you who believe! Do not violate the signs appointed by Allah nor the sacred month, nor interfere with the offerings, nor the sacrificial animals with garlands, nor those going to the sacred house seeking the grace and pleasure of their Lord; and when you are free from the obligations of the pilgrimage, then hunt, and let not hatred of a people-- because they hindered you from the Sacred Masjid-- incite you to exceed the limits, and help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of your duty to Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting evil. (5:2)?
According to the Holy Quran, offering sacrifice is as important as the Kaaba: جَعَلَ اللهُ الكَعْبَةَ البيْتَ الحَرامَ قِياماً لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّهْرَ الحَرامَ والهَدْيَ والقَلائِدَ
?Allah has made the Kaaba, the sacred house, maintenance for the people, and the sacred month and the offerings and the sacrificial animals with garlands. (The Holy Quran; 5:97)?
That is to say, in the same way that the Kaaba serves as factor to bring Muslims together until the Day of Judgment, offering sacrifice too is an inviolable tradition, which must exist until the Day of Judgment to show not only the spirit of submission to God but also to display the wrath of Muslim nations against the enemies of Islam. The Kaaba represents love and compassion and sacrifice depicts wrath as stipulated by the Holy Quran: مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشَدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ?Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves. (48:29)?

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