As Ramadan bids another farewell

Ramadan is again set to bid us another farewell. Allahu Akbar! Only Allah (SWT) knows those who will leave to witness this holy season next year. We pray that as we depart on this 27th day of Ramadan, Allah will spare our lives to meet on this same page in next year’s Ramadan. This column […]

Ramadan is again set to bid us another farewell. Allahu Akbar! Only Allah (SWT) knows those who will leave to witness this holy season next year. We pray that as we depart on this 27th day of Ramadan, Allah will spare our lives to meet on this same page in next year’s Ramadan. This column shall this week remind us of Zakatul-Fitr and other responsibilities that usually come up at the close of Ramadan fast. Anas bn Malik (RA) reports that the Prophet (SAW) said: “The Ramadan fast of believing servants of Allah (SWT) would hang between the heavens and the earth until the Zakatul-Fitr is paid. When it is given out, Allah (SWT) would grant it two wings to fly to the seventh sky where it would remain until the owner comes for it.” Zakatul-Fitr is a Sunnah that is compulsory on every Muslim, big and small, male and female, free-born as well as slave.
The Zakatul-Fitr of every Muslim is to be given out by the person responsible for his/her sustenance and upkeep. A man would give the Zakatul-Fitr of his wives, children, and every other person under his care. Zakatul-Fitr is to be given out of the staple food items in one’s community. It could be rice, maize, millet, wheat, or similar grains or cereals. It could also be beans or groundnut where such is the staple food of the people.
The quantity to be given out as Zakatul-Fitr per head is four measures of the food item (in grains or cereals) using the Sa’a (cubic measure) of the Prophet (SAW). The two palms of a man put together and filled with grains or cereals would be equivalent to a full measure of the Prophetic Sa’a (cubic measure) where the latter is not practically available. It is Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) to pay Zakatul-Fitr after daybreak of the day of Eidul-Fitr, before going for the Eid prayer. Malik (RA) relates that the people of knowledge used to pay the Zakatul-Fitr after dawn had broken on the day of the Eidul-Fitr before they went out for the Eid prayer. However, there’s no harm if it is paid a day or even two days before the day of Eidul-Fitr. It is reported that Abdullahi bn Umar (RA) used to pay the Zakatul-Fitr two or three days before the day of Eidul-Fitr. If a Muslim were unable to pay the Zakatul-Fitr before leaving his house for the Eid prayer due to indigence, it would still be paid when resources for paying it are available. Zakatul-Fitr has no waiver or substitute. It is obligatory on all Muslims.
Apart from paying the Zakatul-Fitr before going for the Eid prayers, every Muslim is enjoined to break his fast in the morning of the Eid day. The sighting of the crescent of Shawwal (tenth month of the Islamic lunar calendar) marks the end of Ramadan. Therefore, it is expected that every Muslim who fasted during Ramadan should break the fast by eating or drinking in the morning before leaving the house or the mosque (in respect of those in I’tikaf) for the Eid praying ground. Refusing to eat or drink after daybreak on the Eidul-Fitr day does not make one more pious than others. It is rather a contradiction of the provisions of Shari’ah for a Muslim to refuse to break his fast after the crescent of Shawwal has been sighted; doing so amounts to an extension of Ramadan beyond and against Allah’s will. Getting the news that confirms the sighting of the Shawwal crescent through the radio, television, mobile phones, e-mails, and similar means of communication from genuine and reliable sources brings the Ramadan to an end. Nevertheless, our eating, drinking and celebrations should be moderate and not outrageous as to make us ungrateful to Allah (SWT). Muslims, particularly the youths, are advised to shun excessive celebrations of the Eid; keeping off anything that may lead them into orgies.
The end of Ramadan fast should not be an end to all the good deeds by which we stood in the last one month. Let us resolve to continue with all the virtuous deeds we kept during Ramadan. Let us also vow to continue to eschew all unrighteous acts we avoided during Ramadan. Eidul-Fitr is not an occasion for us to go back to our old sinful life of envy, mischief, betrayal, telling lies, backbiting, cheating, forgery, etc. Resuming this kind of unholy life only makes us hypocrites.
Given the poor economic situation prevailing in the country, this column appeals to custodians of the home-fronts to understand with their husbands where the latter are unable to provide funds for the usual Sallah dresses or meals. Let us come to terms with the realities of time. Let us not allow the hard economic conditions to ruin our joyful mood of the Eid period. Let us, against the wishes of the country’s battered economy, wear smiles on our faces. The Eid is a time for celebrating the favours of Allah (SWT). Let us show gratitude to Allah (SWT) even if it were pap with a bean cake (akara) or moimoi or groundnut cake (kulikuli) that makes your breakfast on the Eidul-Fitr day. If you think you are jinxed not to celebrate Eid with a new dress or special dishes, be grateful to Allah (SWT) that you are not an IDP in one of the camps in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Whatever may be your predicament there are people with worse stories to tell.
We encourage believers, after they might have taken some rest from the sleepless nights they spent in devotion, especially during the last lap of the Ramadan, to observe six days of voluntary fast in the Islamic lunar month Shawwal. The recommended six days of fasting in Shawwal is not compulsory. Muslims are only exhorted by Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) to observe it. The six days of voluntary fast (otherwise called Sittatu Shawwal in Islamic literature) can be observed consecutively or intermittently, as may be convenient for an individual. Imam Muslim (RA) reports on the authority of Abu Ayyub that the Prophet (SAW) said “…whoever follows Ramadan (fast) with six days of (of fasting) in Shawwal would be as if he had fasted a whole life time.”  May Allah (SWT) accept our Ramadan fast and all the acts of worship we put forth in this holy month of Ramadan, amin. Happy Eidul-Fitr in advance!