A.Q. Siddiqui
Muslims all over the world have observed digital Eid at home, with the exception of few who preferred small congregational prayers in mosques in Pakistan and few other places in the world. Eid at home was celebrated all over Canada, the US, and Europe on Sunday 24 May. In India, a quiet Eid was celebrated on Monday 25 May.
US Muslims mostly opted for Eid at home or rather for a digital Eid at home. In Chicago and Toronto families engaged early morning in Eid prayers at home. Nevertheless, the spirit of festivity lived on. Each home, the head of the family, or the senior in the family led the Eid prayer with women children and others behind.
Eid prayer is the culmination of one month of hectic Ramadan worship including fasting. It is a thanksgiving to God Almighty for enabling the worshiper for the completion of Ramadan. Eid is also defined as the feast of Allah for all those who did Ramadan fasting and worship.
YouTube and other social media platforms have greatly helped Muslims for observing Eid at home. Earlier, few rightly guided Moulvis have uploaded guidance videos on YouTube and WhatsApp and exhibited how to perform Eid prayer at home in view of ongoing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
Moulana Sheikh MuizBukhary has authenticated in his video that it is permissible to perform Eid prayer at home. Sheikh quoted from the book of Bukhari that Anas ibn Malik due to old age if he missed his Eid prayer, he will gather his sons and family members and do Eid prayer at home. Eid prayer is consisting of 2 Rakas of Namaz with an additional 6 Takbeers (praise to God).
But Eid Khutbah (sermon), after the prayer is considered very important and a direct Sunnah (an act by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him). Mufti Masood AlamRahmani has uploaded a short version of Eid Khutbah and explained how it can be read at home. Such videos have greatly relieved millions of Muslims all over the world who were worried for Eid Prayer and Eid Khutbah.
Many chose to upload the video in Android phones and with the help of headphones read or repeated the Arabic words of Khutbah aloud in front of family members. Few chose to play the video on TV and listen to the Khutbah as they will listen to Imam in a mosque.
In keeping with Eid tradition, visiting friends and relatives, exchanging greetings was done through social media. Video calls through Google DUO, WhatsApp and hangouts were immediately switched on and every one was giving an online social hug for Eid Mubarak.
After Christmas, Eid ul Fitr is the second-largest celebrated festive event all over the world. This time, COVID-19 tried to surpass it but the digital revolution did not let it happen.
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