Voice of British Muslim Women

Iffat Mirza, Raynes Park

Indeed, happiness is something that cannot be taken for granted. This world is full of pain and grief but there are beautiful moments which are interspersed throughout our life where our cheeks may ache with smiles too big for our faces to bear. Whether it is laughing with your siblings around the dinner table, even though you finished eating an hour ago, or it is watching your child take his first steps, happiness comes in all forms and is often secretly embedded in the mundane. That is why it is so important for joy to be encoded in our calendar too and for it to be ordained by God truly shows His mercy and love for us – that despite all the trials and tribulations that the world has to offer, there are glimmers of happiness: some accidental and some on purpose. I would be inclined to say such an auspicious day as Eid, is one of those which is happiness on purpose.

What makes the happiness celebrated on Eid particularly beautiful is that our happiness is supposed to be selfless, empathetic, and grateful. A person should celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr by keeping in view the lessons learned during the month of Ramadan. All those goals and aims that are achieved during the blessed days of fasting should be made part of one’s life. One should remember everyone in their happiness, especially those who are poor and needy. One should not only maintain their previous good deeds but in fact progress in spiritual development and attain the pleasure of Allah.

Highlighting the importance and spirit of Eid, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, stated in his sermon delivered on Eid ul Fitr in 2015:

“Today, young and old, men and women have gathered together because this day holds great significance. Islam has decreed the day of Eid as a day of happiness in which Muslims should join together with their loved ones […] Today, if Ahmadi Muslims wish to celebrate Eid in the true sense, then where they seek to attain the blessings of true Eid by bringing about a moral reformation, they should also make every effort to free the world from injustices and should engage fervently in prayer to free the Muslim world from the disorder and troubles it is engulfed in.”