Alhamdulillah, this Eid al-Fitr was way better than last year. I took a shower way early and went to a 24-hr Harris Teeter to get some last minute things to give as Eid gifts (I made cookies... from scratch, yes.) I finished preparing them, printed off a sheet from a book I have for a non-Muslim who was coming with me to the prayer about the Eid prayer and how it's different. Although... it was wrong.. um. I also looked at this neat site, which someone had emailed me the previous night. In fact, it's a great site for new Muslims (the Eid 101) and if I had seen it earlier I might have forwarded it to everyone I knew.
I remember my first Eid prayer, and a friend sent me a set of directions about the Eid prayer, advice like the takbeers to say on the way there, and how the prayer would be different.
The thing is, if you've never been to an Eid prayer before, how would you know? So the program by Mohammed Alshareef can really benefit a lot of people inshaaAllah, who might not otherwise know these things that are almost standard/tradition for Muslim families and don't warrant much thought. I went to the prayer alone that time... this time I took this non-Muslim lady with me, and knew just tons of people at the gathering. And got there early enough to line up and pray, and really enjoyed it. Only real criticism I can make is of the sisters (and I guess I can always criticize the sisters) who thought that the khutbah was an okay time to chit-chat. The khateeb was yelling at the top of his voice and still it was difficult to hear him, a problem only exacerbated by wagging tongues, way in the back. (Just one of many things I hate about being in the back!)
After the prayer I went to someone's house to eat a little... I guess I ate a lot, I was full by the end, then went home and slept... my roommate did some traveling, went to a lot of peoples' houses, some of my friends went to a Carnival, and I was even invited a few other places while I was sleeping but didn't make it. I just called it a day, had some very personal time with... and then went about studying--I had a test and paper due on Monday.
It wasn't really extravagant, but nice enough that I had someone to share it with... I hope I never take that for granted. I had to go straight "back to the grind" and I was ready for Eid to be over before it was... but I pray that I live to see and experience next year's Ramadan, because that certainly was a very special time.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
8 comments:
Eid Mubarak to you Amy!!
But I just want to say that I, even though born Muslim, had no idea really what goes on at the Eid prayer. My whole life I lived in an area where there is no Masjid and we are very far away from the 'closest' one.
I only ever witnessed Eid prayer at the time when my now husband was my fiancee. But no one really ever explained it to me. I really did not know.
SO yeah. I don't know my point. Or do I? lol Its not only when your new to Islam that there are some things you have no idea about. Us born Muslims are sometimes clueless too!
Eid Mubarak!
Well alhamdulillah now you know all about Eid I guess? And if not, that little flash site is a good reminder. But even for born Muslims to understand what's going on. It's not geared specifically towards new Muslims or anything, I just approached it from that angle. Thanks for your comment!
I was always embarrassed to admit it though. There are still many things I don't know about a whole lot in Islam (just like many others I guess).
But the stuff people assume I should know.
Anyway, I really like your blog! Can you believe that I check it every morning for new posts? Kinda sorta addicted :)
AA -
You know, for the last couple months before Ramadaan I was attending a class with the imam for sisters only, and I had only occasionally attended in the last year, but I learned in that short time that the same questions keep coming up to the imam. (Once a month was just devoted to q/a.) And they were from converts as much as from born Muslims who had recently immigrated, or even some who had been in the community for a while, some who grew up here and never had an adequate explanation to some questions. Because the same questions kept coming up, and keep coming up, it seems like there should be more of a move to educate everyone on the simple issues.
And don't be afraid of asking. :-)
I will admit I know nothing about Eid prayers or anything as since my reversion in Oct 2006 I have always been alone on Eid. I would have no idea and I think I would have to go with a sister to explain to me through the whole day, rather than just reading about it. It just confuses me.......but I really hope to experience Eid the proper way one day Insha'allah
hannah
Salaam Hannah,
May Allah make it easy for you to practice Islam.
The muslimahs talking during khutbahs and lectures is really annoying.The Eid before this last one was horrible,I didnt hear a thing that the imam was saying.All I heard was gossip,laughing and kids running wild.
But alhamdulillah that your Eid went well:)
I definitely had a similar experience at the last Eid here, because it was indoors which makes the talking even more of a distraction. This Eid was outside so it wasn't quite as bad with the sound just being compounded, but the imam (and may Allah reward him) had to yell and still I could only barely hear him. They could've turned up the amplification but also... the women could've gotten quiet. Sigh. What's to be done about that?
Post a Comment