BY BILAL DERSO
Eid al-Fitr (the festival of the breaking of the fast) is among one the major festivities celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The faithful begin the day by traveling to a prayer known as Salat al-Eid which has been always performed in congregations in big mosques, open fields, or large halls.
The religion teaches the faithful to observe Eid al-Fitr by maintaining support for the needy and urging them to do the good deeds that have been exercised during Ramadan to be eternalized into their personality and in their day-to-day lives.
Since the first Hijra that was manifested by welcoming the companions of Prophet Muhammad and allowing them to practice their religion free from persecution, Islam became an integral part of the long Ethiopian history. Last Friday, Muslims across the country marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan, breaking a month of fasting.
According to the President of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council Sheikh Haji Ibrahim Tufa, the teaching of communal observance of Eid would have a big role in enhancing people’s interaction with different economic and religious backgrounds.
It is a customary practice in Ethiopia to observe Eid by calling families, relatives, and neighbors as well as the needy, regardless of their economic status and religious affiliations. Eid ceremonies enable the participants to exchange views about their livelihood and thus bolster their understating of values each religion attaches to, and to enable them to live in harmony and appreciate and respect their differences.’’
Sheikh Ibrahim indicated the religion orders the faithful to uphold the support and empathy they have shown for the needy during Ramadan, which also would have a role in strengthening the much cherished Ethiopian culture of sharing with the disfavored and sharing bread with all walks of life.
On Eid, Muslims are expected to solace and support people that are in various difficult situations, including in grief, in jail, orphans, the sick, and those who do not have access to food, clothes, and other amenities, and sharing what they have with the needy to enable them to celebrate the day in the same manner.
“Prophet Muhammad made Zakat al-Fitr (charity given to the poor at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan) on every Muslim whether young and or male or female to enable the needy to celebrate the holiday along with themselves.’’
The head of the household may pay the required amount for his/ her dependencies and go into the community to find those who deserve such charity. In this regard, Zakat al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of the community since the rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor.
This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not.
The president further noted that charities such as Zakat al-Fitr are the manifestation of the faithful’s brotherhood regardless of geographic, linguistic, or ethnic differences. The Muslim community needs to show empathy and compassion for the returnees and play its role in the reintegration efforts by providing them with the necessary financial and non-financial support and offering moral support.
Strong social bonds among Muslims and with their fellow non-Muslim brothers and sisters is so essential in a country like Ethiopia where people with different faiths live together. The social bonds enable people, regardless of religious affiliations, to stand together to work towards the country’s vision of bringing economic development and building democracy while defending its interests.
“Muslims need to maintain their culture of observing events such as Eid al-Fitr in a way enhancing harmony and understanding with their fellow non-Muslim brothers and sisters. This would in turn enable Ethiopia to achieve its vision of building peace and economy through active participation of people with different religious backgrounds.’’
Furthermore, understanding among people with different religions would play an indispensable role to support the nation’s engagement to build the democratic system and ensuring the constitutionally-granted citizens’ rights. Closeness among Muslims and non-Muslims in events such as Eid al-Fitr would also have a great role to fight the destructive activities of some radicalized interest groups.
Cognizant of the groups’ interest to not only disrupt the peaceful balance that exists between religions but also destabilize Ethiopia’s long peace and stability, due attention needs to be given to the society, especially the youth, not to be hijacked by their destructive propaganda.
In this regard, various festivities such as Eid al-Fitr have an indispensable role in keeping people with different faiths living in harmony and shun away hatred and stereotypical attitudes towards people with particular religious affiliations.
By understating the closeness and unity created by events such as Eid al-Fitr and sustaining the longstanding religious tolerance that exists in Ethiopia, in contrast to the turbulent Middle East region, due attention is needed to ensure this culture remains for a long time to come.
Besides their religious values, festivities including Eid-al-Fitr have laid the foundations for peace, tolerance, and coexistence in Ethiopia. In this regard, the government, the public, and other stakeholders should contribute to the continuity of religious festivities as they are the foundations upon which the peaceful coexistence and tolerance of Ethiopia are rested.
The Ethiopian Herald April 23/2023
