My Feelings on the Muslim Holiday of Eid in America

I would first of all like to wish you all a belated Eid Mubarak. I had taken a break during Ramadan, as it is a month that is extremely busy. However, I am really missing it and am saddened that it passed by so quickly .

During Eid prayer, I had an experience which was quite profound. As the imam explained the process of the Eid prayer, and we commenced with the 7 takbeerats, and we then recited Surah Al-Fatihah, a strong rush of emotions overcame me. As I repeated the words of the surah that is recited so many times during the day, I could not keep from being overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment and the profound realization of the reality around me.

I stood there in the middle of a sea worshippers, from every ethnic, racial and economic background, all dressed in their best garb and crowded in the beautiful and serene room facing in the direction of the first House of our one and only Creator, Allah. And we all recited the same prayer and listened to the same words of Allah, moved together through the same ritual movements, and we all wanted the same thing. We all wanted to be one with our Lord, to be there in front of Allah, praising him, asking his forgiveness, and delving inwardly somehow to embrace the moment, the opportunity, the last thread attached to the days that were to become a part of our memory.

All brothers and sister in Islam. Men, women, children; old, young, in the middle,; pear or apple shaped, fit, frail, tall, short, average; pale, tanned, dark, fair; Family, friends, colleagues, students, teachers, acquaintances, Whomsoever, but all Muslim, all who love, fear, and ask only of Allah, all who's hearts encompass the love for our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Peace and Blessing Be Upon Him.

And for those brief moments it did not matter, who said what about that person, or who did not invite this person, nor did it matter who was wearing what, or what car did that person drive. No one was thinking about their pride being hurt, or how to get revenge on a rival.

I wished with an ache that we could all live in such harmony always. Why could not we extend this unity to every other moment of our lives. Oh how I wished that as we flew out of Ramadan that we took with us the same mercy, forgiveness, and blessings that we had fasted, prayed, sacrificed and begged for from Allah into ourselves and made them a part of our virtue, and implemented the same on those around us and that we could be washed of not only all of our sins, indiscretions, religious neglect but also of all the constant obsession on egos, conceit, envy and all the other human frailties; jealousy, competition, being judgmental, power hungry, lack of compassion, self serving, and on and on.

And as we paid our salaams upon our right and left companions, and then after the poignant khutba which echoed much of what I was feeling, and we rose to greet each other with congratulations and best wishes, I made one final dua that may we have many more fruitful Ramadans to reap and then reach our ultimate desired destination where we all should stand in Allah's gardens and embrace each other, hearts united and pure for one another.