Staff Reporter | EMN
Dimapur, August 8
Eid- Ul- Fitr (popularly known as Meethi Id) comes at the end of a 30 day fast “Ramadan”, which falls in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
It is said that the fast was a test decreed by Allah, to fathom the faith of his followers. The successful completion of Ramadan is marked with the celebration of Eid- Ul- Fitr.Eid occurs on the first day of the Shawwal, the tenth month of Islamic calendar.
Every Muslim who has attained puberty observes ‘Ramadan’. They maintain a strict fast during daylight devoting themselves to prayer. Those who are sick or weak like the aged, travellers, and pregnant women are allowed to break the fast. But they are expected to compensate later for the days they have missed of ‘Ramadan’. If, even this is not possible it becomes mandatory for them to provide food to a deprived person for every day of fasting missed.
The meal before sunrise during Ramadan is known as ‘sehri’ and after sunset ‘iftar’. This ritual continues for 29 to 30 days.
It is a believed that at every Iftar as many as 10 lakhs Muslims are forgiven by Allah from all over the world.
In Dimapur Nurul Hoque, General Secretary of the New Market Jama Masjid who is also on a Ramadan fast says the combination of sticky rice, milk and banana mixed is the perfect ‘sehri’. It is both filling and healthy, he adds.
Fasting during Ramadam is also a process of renewing oneself.
Nurul Hoque says speaking lies during Ramadan and casting glances at the opposite sex are discouraged. Those who maintain the fast are encouraged to always have the name of Zikir,“Allah Akbar”on their lips and refrain from indulging in too much worldly conversation.
Mohsina Khan, 25 years old is the grand daughter of Haji Moligul Khan-the first Muslim settler in Dimapur, Nagaland.
She looks forward to the occasion and says that for her the festival is a celebration of the equality amongst men and women. She says this is why ‘Namaz’ is performed together and every person both rich or poor buys new clothes and takes part in the celebration.
She also looks forward to the “eidi”a small sum of money from the elders to the youngsters who pay visits to greet elders in the family.
Muslims before offering the Eid Prayers give Zakkat which is an obligatory payment made under islamic law were 1/4th or as many as 2.5% of their total income is given to the needy and the poor and on the day of celebration food is served to the beggars and poor people offered by the Masjid.
During this auspicious occasion ‘Eid-Ul-Fitr’, the man of the family goes to the mosque to pray while women keeps busy making sweets. Amongst the most popular sweet dishes made in Eid-Ul-Fitr is ‘Sheer Korma’ which is made of saviyaan, milk and dry fruits and like ‘pop’ made of Maida and coconut. The other main dishes are chicken korma, chicken biryani, kebabs and pulao.
Eid Ul Fitr is celebrated all over the world with a delay of a day or two, depending on the first appearance of the moon. This year Eid Ul Fitr is being celebrated in USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia a day earlier than India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh where Eid Ul Fitr will be celebrated on August 9.
