Eid-ul-Adha
The Eid Khutba begins with the following declaration of faith:
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no Lord except Allah and all praise and thanks to Allah.
Islam has two major holidays or celebrations. Eid-ul-Fitr which comes after the month of fasting and Eid-Al-Adha.
The word Eid itself is an Arabic word, which is derived from the root word which means ‘that which comes back, time after time, and rejoicing’.
It’s particular usage in Islam therefore, for the two major holidays, is because these days are meant to be days of rejoicing.
Eid al-Adha is meant to be recognition of the material and spiritual favours of Allah SWT to his creation, manifested by the ritual slaughtering necessary for all able Muslims to perform, following the way of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
In fact, this is mentioned in the Quran in Sura Al-Imran, ayat 67-68 in which Allah SWT states:
Abraham was neither a jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah]. And he was not of the polytheists. Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in submission to Allah] and this prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the ally of the believers.
Dear brothers and sisters, from this we can deduce that the Muslim nation is followers of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
The lessons of the way of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), where in utter submission to Allah’s Divine Command, he was about to slaughter his very own son, until the last moment Allah sent an animal to be slaughtered instead, are many.
So, on this day of celebration, what lessons can we get from Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the story of the animal slaughter?
When Prophet Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice his son, it was a test of his faith. As believers we face many temptations and tests in this materialistic world. We must be ready and prepared for them.
When Prophet Ibrahim took his son to the sacrificial alter to sacrifice him he showed us the strength of his faith and belief in his Creator.
And lastly, the fact that Allah SWT replaced the young son with a ram teaches us that Allah SWT, above all else, is merciful and Allah SWT always rewards the patience and faith of the sincere believer.
Dear brothers and sisters, the human’s purpose in life is worship Allah SWT. It’s as simple as that. And this may sometimes present a test, but it is faith and faith alone that will see the true worshipper through life’s challenges.
On this day we commemorate the action of Prophet Ibrahim, by slaughtering a ram on the day of Eid.
The purpose of this sacrifice is not fulfilled by shedding the blood of the animal; it is really fulfilled when people submit themselves completely to the will and command of Allah SWT.
And on the specifics on the slaughter, one should slaughter either a sheep, cow, goat, buffalo or camel in the name of Allah. However, it is important to note that the meat is divided into three equal parts, one for the poor, one for the friends and one for you and your family
Dear brothers and sisters that concludes the khutba for Eid-al-Adha. Remember as you leave to return to your homes that one of the Sunna acts of this day is to return via a different route so as to spread the greetings of Salaam to different people upon your return. This counts for us as well here as it’s a form of dawah or invitation to the locals in our community.
On behalf of Masjid Salahadeen, I wish you all a joyous Eid.
As-salaamu’alaykum.
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Eid-ul-Fitr
The Eid Khutba begins with the following declaration of faith:
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, there is no Lord except Allah and all praise and thanks to Allah.
Dear brothers and sisters, today is the day of joy and happiness as we mark the end of the blessed month of Ramadhan.
It has been a month of devotion, of worship and of reflection for us all. We do this with the intention of seeking Allah SWT’s pleasure and mercy and for admittance into Jannat.
We pray that we are amongst those people who Allah SWT accepts this month just gone. People whom He mentions in the Quran in various places, an example being in Sura Al-Imran, ayat 134:
Who spend in the cause of Allah during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good
Dear brothers and sisters, today is the day we give praise and thanks to Allah SWT for the opportunity to complete another month of Ramadhan and all the rewards that come with it.
In accepting this gift of Ramadhan, we are obliged to do the following in this day that marks the end of the month:
We begin the day by eating some dates.
We take a bath and put on our best clothes
We pay our Zakat-ul-Fitr so that the poor can be part of this celebration.
We take one path to come to the masjid and a different path returning home so that we can spread the joy of Eid to the community.
We greet one another, supplicate for one another, visit one another and share joys with one another in the true spirit of love and brotherhood.
And we culminate this celebration by chanting the Takbeer, glorifying Allah SWT.
Dear brothers and sisters, no-one wants to lose this wonderful state of being. Very few things in this world match the euphoria felt after the month of Ramadhan is over and one has successfully fasted, prayed and carried out acts of worship.
However, this day for most comes with a touch of sadness. Sadness, that Ramadhan, our beloved friend, the purifier of souls, and the much anticipated annual visitor is leaving us.
We don’t know if we’ll live to see another Ramadhan. But in the meantime, we need to work hard to hang on to the good things we’ve done during this blessed month.
Consistency is the key here and so there are 3 things that one should be mindful of that they can carry on over the next 11 months until we are reunited with this blessed month once again.
Firstly, let’s keep the Quran as our companion. Whether it be a juz, a page or an ayat, don’t forget the book of Allah as it will serve to keep your spirits lifted throughout the year. And specifically recite Sura Al-Iklas 3 times daily. The reward for this is as if we finished the whole Quran every day.
Secondly, let’s keep the Masjid as our solace. The local masjid is never busier than the month of Ramadhan and never quieter than the months that come after it. The starting point may differ for us all, but a recommendation would be to at least come for Isha and Fajr at the masjid. The reward for this is as if we prayed the whole night.
And lastly, let’s fast the whole year round. Not every day of course but in a way we can achieve that level of reward by fasting 6 days of this forthcoming month of Shawaal. This is what the Prophet SAWS has told us is the reward for this act of worship.
Dear brothers and sisters, today is a day of celebration and joy. Let’s spend it in the right manner and then retain our good habits in our actions over the forthcoming year.
On behalf of Masjid Salahadeen, I wish you all a joyous Eid-ul-fitr.
As-salaamu’alaykum.
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